Wistful Kisses
by Cyanide-Princess-666
Summary: Wistful is a maniac, and she's loose. Darquesse is digging her heels into Valkyrie. Can the Skeleton Detective and his partner get past their feelings to deal with the problem? Or will a new villain end it all? DEATH BRINGER SPOILERS!
1. Eating Babies

_Wistful Kisses...Chapter 1..._

_**I know everybody that does Skulduggery Pleasant just **_**has**_** to do Valduggery, and yeah, I'm adding yet another one to the collection. It's only my second story, it's just an experiment, I have no idea where it's going yet, and I have a hard time really capturing Skulduggery's character, but I tried so, yeah, enjoy, I suppose (: By the way, none of this is mine, all the characters are Derek Landy's genius...**_

oO0Oo

Skulduggery dipped the wide-rimmed hat low over his false green eyes, watching as Valkyrie hopped in the back of the Bentley, the wind whipping her hair back, away from her face. She clicked the seatbelt home and Tanith greeted her with a broad grin, wrapped in the usual, skin-hugging brown leather.

"Hey, Val. How's Alice?" she said in a vague London accent.

"She's good, y'know, same old annoying six-year-old. She used my toothbrush to paint the landing yesterday," Valkyrie shrugged. Skulduggery chuckled, his emerald-eyed, dark haired facade grinning; he really was getting good at controlling his facial expressions.

"I hope you got a new toothbrush," he said, pulling away from the pier, where the wind tore at the sea, stirring the glassy surface into an undulating mass of foaming, raging waves. The sight was breath taking.

"What kind of idiot do you take me for? ...Actually, don't answer that." Skulduggery just laughed, his velvet voice smooth and light.

oO0Oo

"What're we doing today then?" Tanith asked, changing the subject; she was bored. She needed to talk about something, and the car was too slow. She wanted her bike, she missed it.

"We're off to see Erskine and Ghastly; they have a job for us." Skulduggery shifted gears, weaving the beautiful Bentley through the mild traffic of Haggard town centre with an expert eye. "Remember Tesseract?" he questioned, and Valkyrie blinked.

"Tesseract...that's the big guy with the mask, the one that broke my back, right?" She shuddered at the memory. Skulduggery's gloved hands tightened on the steering wheel. He remembered that day; he'd been so afraid she was dead. He'd carried her himself, and she'd seemed so fragile. He felt the break even through the protective clothing, such an odd angle for her to be bent at, and he'd prayed, yes, _prayed_, that she'd be okay, that she'd walk again. Kenspeckle really outdid himself that day; losing the man was a real shame.

"Yes. That was Tesseract." His voice, usually so composed, was slightly rough, though it was virtually undetectable. At twenty years old, Valkyrie had come to know her partner well in the last seven or eight years, well enough to discern his many different gestures. It was unusual for him to become tense, especially not in such an obvious way. Apparently, Tanith didn't miss his distress either; she shot a look in Valkyrie's direction, eyebrows pulling together, but said nothing.

"But he's dead, right? Vile killed him," Tanith put in, unaware that the Skeleton Detective was, in fact, the infamous Lord Vile himself, and Skulduggery hoped that she'd never need to find out. It was hard enough seeing Ghastly everyday, after Vile murdered his mother, without them finding out just who the monster really was. If they ever realised that Vile was a large part of Skulduggery, he'd never be forgiven. He didn't want to lose his best friend, or Tanith, for that matter.

"Yes, he is dead. But apparently, his _fans_ aren't. It seems an especially twisted adept took a fancy to his nice little trick. The adept in question has acquired a particular talent for disfiguring bones with a single touch."

"That's not good, I take it?" Tanith asked, her hand automatically reaching to pat the gleaming sword at her side, as it rested in the lacquered sheath by her leg.

"On a scale of one to ten on the Evil-Assassin-O-Metre, Tesseract was a ten. So no, this definitely isn't good," Skulduggery answered darkly.

"...Unless this guy's like Scapegrace," Val decided.

"Ah, The Killer Supreme, I'd entirely forgotten about him. Do you think he's enjoying his cosy cell? I certainly hope he isn't," the skeleton said cheerfully, his false face smiling again.

"He didn't enjoy being in one with _me_," she said smugly, remembering how easy it had been to beat him; even while he threatened to kill her, she was stomping on his broken fingers.

"Valkyrie, do tell me, what normal person would _ever_ enjoy being locked in a small room with you?"

"You do it regularly."

"Yes, well, I'm not a normal person," Skulduggery snorted, amused.

"But you're still a person."

"Guys, I'm still here, you know," Tanith said, raising a blonde eyebrow when she was completely ignored.

"That's beside the point; I get_ paid_ to be near you. It's my _job_ to put up with you."

"But you still hung out with me when Guild fired you. Admit it, you enjoy my company," Val said smugly, enjoying herself.

"You will never, _ever_ make me say that, Valkyrie. It would do far too much damage to my ego."

"But your ego's the size of Jupiter; there'd be plenty of it left unharmed."

"I admit that I am amused by you. To say I enjoy your company would be going too far." He was teasing her now, smiling as he drove. It was good to see him like this, to see him relaxed and beaming, though she did miss the permanent grin of his gleaming white skull; the facade, as good as it was, it just wasn't _him_.

oO0Oo

"Guys! Can we please get back to the point of this journey? _Before_ you drive me insane?" Tanith didn't like being ignored, and Valkyrie immediately felt guilty, fighting the delicate flush of heat that threatened to take over her cheeks; she'd become absorbed by Skulduggery. Again.

"Yes, right, the point...Where was I?" Skulduggery pushed the hat up a little as they left Haggard, heading for the Sanctuary in Roarhaven. Despite the new authority there, it was still a bedraggled, dried up little town.

"You were telling us about Tesseract's number one fan." Tanith pushed her blonde hair back over her shoulder and twisted it up into a ponytail. Valkyrie chose to leave hers down; she hadn't tied it up since Skulduggery told her that her long hair suited her, back at a party organised by Ghastly some three months ago. She hid her blush, remembering how pleased she'd felt at his compliment.

"Yes, it appears that the big brute did actually have an admirer. A woman by the name of Wistful."

"Wistful what?" Valkyrie asked, focussing back on the conversation.

"Just Wistful."

"I know her," Tanith said quietly, the colour gone from her cheeks. "She's my sister."

"You told me you only had one sibling." Valkyrie was surprised; Tanith didn't usually keep much from her. This was...this was big.

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly proud of having a sadistic, crazy murderer in my family."

"Why/ What does she do? Why is she so bad?" Tanith kept her mouth closed, so Skulduggery answered for her.

"She eats children, Valkyrie."

oO0Oo

Ghastly Bespoke, a member of the Council of the Elders, and Skulduggery Pleasant's best friend, greeted them with a warm smile. Skulduggery let the facade flow back into the glowing symbols on his collar bones, revealing the familiar grinning skull. Something released in Valkyrie's heart when she saw those big, empty eye sockets, like she'd been starved of oxygen and could finally breathe again.

"Welcome, come in. I've made us all a pot of tea; Erskine should be here any minute," Elder Bespoke shook Skulduggery's hand warmly and once again, Valkyrie wondered how hard it must be for Skulduggery to look Ghastly in the eye and pretend everything was normal, while memories of murdering the mother of his best friend festered in his empty skull, reminding him all the while of the darkness in his soul.

oO0Oo

"It's good to see you again, Elder Bespoke," Tanith smiled shyly. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and leant over to whisper in her friend's ear.

"Will you hurry up and ask him out already? The Remnant isn't inside you anymore, what's stopping you?" Doctor Nye, the Sanctuary's senior surgeon and the only replacement that matched the talents of the late Doctor Kenspeckle, had found a way to destroy the remnant without harming Tanith. It'd been a long, painful process for her, but she survived, thank God.

"I'll ask him when you ask Skulduggery," was her whispered retort. Valkyrie blinked, and Tanith cocked her head to the side, tugging her away from the two men, who were already deep in conversation.

"Did you think I didn't know?"

"Didn't know _what_?" Valkyrie was still surprised, caught off guard by the abrupt response she'd received. She was more than a little scared; Tanith had figured it out, so did that mean Skulduggery had worked it out too? Or was Tanith going to tell him?

"Oh, come on, Val! I know you, I've seen the way you look at him...And I've seen the way he changes when he's around you. Like this morning in the car, when you mentioned Tesseract hurting you, Skulduggery looked like he wanted to destroy something," she said. "And the way he is at parties, when other people, other _men_, dance with you."

"What are you getting at?" Valkyrie asked, seated firmly in the pit of denial, or so she hoped.

"You love him."

"Yeah, that's funny-"

"And _he_ loves _you_." Tanith cut her off. Val said nothing; her mind was spinning. Tanith had hit the nail on the head, whether Val liked it or not, and now she'd unlocked that particular drawer, she couldn't shut it again. The memories of all the training sessions, the cases, the lounging around, the laughs they'd shared, everything to do with Skulduggery. Valkyrie realised that her world revolved around him. It had done since she was thirteen. She shot a glare at her friend.

"I hate it when you're right," she muttered. Tanith chuckled. "Thanks for bringing that little problem to the front of my brain. It's all I can think about now."

"Well that's easy to fix; we just have to find out how _he_ feels." A strangled noise escaped Valkyrie's throat.

"I have no intentions_ whatsoever_ of asking him out, just to make that absolutely clear."

"I'll tell him myself if you won't."

"What?" Valkyrie panicked. "No! Don't do that."

"I'll make you a deal, Val, because I'm practically your sister and because I love you. When I tell Ghastly how I feel, you have to tell Skulduggery. Deal?" Valkyrie thought it over; Tanith probably wouldn't tell Ghastly for a while, she'd been putting it off for years already. She decided to accept, just to keep her friend quiet.

"Deal," she nodded, shaking Tanith's hand.

oO0Oo

As soon as Val released her, Tanith rose to her feet and strode boldly towards Ghastly. Valkyrie watched, open mouthed, as her chosen sister took the Elder's face in her hands and kissed him passionately. Ghastly froze for a second, but melted soon enough, and kissed her back. When they broke apart, Ghastly was grinning broadly, and Tanith was flushed, her blonde hair mussed. Val's heart sank in her chest.

oO0Oo

_What do I say to him_, Valkyrie thought. _How will he take it? Will he reject me? Will it be awkward?_ _Or maybe, just maybe, he might admit he likes me too?_

oO0Oo

Skulduggery watched as Tanith finally kissed Ghastly. It saddened him to think he couldn't share the same experience with another person. Well, just one person, actually...

He cast that thought away quickly, afraid of where it would lead him. Now was not the time to be thinking of her, of the way those brown eyes sparkled, of how he'd watched her grow and mature. He didn't need to think of how beautiful she'd looked at the Requiem Ball, aged seventeen, a vision in black, perhaps even a match for the astounding China Sorrows. He didn't need to think of how jealous he'd gotten at the many parties after that, when so many others had danced with her, none of them him. Skulduggery tried his best not to remember how one day, without realising it, he'd fallen for Valkyrie Cain. He tried to ignore it, but God, it was hard.

He watched her get to her feet, pale and scared looking. If he'd had a face, he would've frowned; why was she afraid? There was nothing in this room to be scared of...well, apart from him. She couldn't be scared of him; she'd seen him as Lord Vile, she'd been near him in his darkest moods, she'd seen him fight thousands of times, she'd even fought him as Darquesse, had him smash her bones, rupture her organs and stop her heart dead, yet she stayed by him, partners to the end. Even as a thirteen year old, she'd been insistent and bold. She couldn't be afraid of him, not her, not now all of a sudden...Could she?

oO0Oo

Valkyrie reached Skulduggery, feeling like her legs were made of concrete, weighing her down. It felt like every single one of the sanctuary lights were focussed on her as she walked across the room to tell the man she loved just how she felt. Because that was how she saw him. He was a man to her, not a skeleton, and even at thirteen, his voice had an alarming effect on her. It was the first thing about him she'd noticed, all those years ago, at Gordon's house, when the man in the tan overcoat had found her in Gordon's study. He'd intrigued her even then.

Skulduggery tilted his head, watching her as she moved towards him. She stopped in front of him, and he waited patiently for her to speak. She was all too aware of Tanith staring at her. She gathered the courage to raise her eyes to his big, empty sockets.

"Valkyrie, what's wrong?" he asked softly, so softly. There was so much concern in his voice. Valkyrie took a deep breath, arranging the words in her head before she said them.

"Skulduggery."

"That's me," he answered, a gentle smile in his words.

"I have something to say...I...I lo-"

oO0Oo

Erskine entered the room, cutting her off.

"Wistful has killed another one of my agents," he said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He looked like he'd been crying. "That's the third time today somebody's reported a murder, and they've all been done by her."

"Who was it this time?" Ghastly asked, his eyes dark. One hand rose to rub the scars on his forehead, the other snaring Tanith's fingers. Despite him appearing totally distraught, Erskine's lips twitched.

"It was Aurora, Ghastly. Wistful killed the mother of my child." Erskine's lip trembled a little, and Valkyrie found tears in her eyes; he looked heart broken, weary, _older_. "Congratulations to you two, by the way. I was wondering when this would happen." He gestured to their clasped hands, brightening up a little, though not by much. Valkyrie didn't miss the look he shot her and Skulduggery. She fought the heat that threatened to make her face burn; was there anybody that _didn't_ know how she felt?

oO0Oo

"Oh dear. Poor Aurora; she was a fine woman," Skulduggery sighed. Ghastly placed a comforting hand on Erskine's shoulder.

"Who's Aurora?" Valkyrie asked, curious.

"Aurora Borealis was Erskine's girlfriend." The Grand Mage lowered his eyes, inspecting the floor. Valkyrie thought she saw a stray tear glistening on his cheek, but when he looked up it was gone.

"Isn't that the name of the Northern Lights?" she asked, distracting herself from the sorry state of her friend.

"Exactly. She took that name because of the way her power chose to manifest itself. She was a rather spectacular adept, much like China Sorrows, in the way that if you were to see her, you would fall in love with her. Unlike China, Aurora rarely used her abilities for her own gain, and while China is beautiful on the outside, Aurora was quite average, until she lit up," Skulduggery explained patiently.

"Lit up? What's that supposed to mean?" Valkyrie raised her eyebrows, not sure how to take the news that the woman in question could possibly be a human light bulb.

"She encased her body in light; some people said she showed her soul. It changed colours, and shone like the Northern Lights. Hence the name Aurora Borealis. It's a shame she was killed, her powers were a tad more potent than China's," Erskine put in. "I was quite in love with her for a very long time."

"She was in love with you too, Erskine, so much so. She said herself that your relationship was wonderfully fruitful," Ghastly said.

"Ahh yes, without her, I would never have been given a daughter. Speaking of which, here she comes."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie had never met Erskine's daughter before; the little girl was a vision. At five years old, she had gently waving black hair, down to her lower back, and the biggest, brightest green eyes Val had ever seen.

"Valkyrie, this is Aurora, Erskine's daughter, named after her wonderful mother," Skulduggery told me. The five year old wandered forwards and grinned, showing a gap where her front teeth were missing. She was _adorable_. The little girl stretched out a pale, slender hand.

"Hallo," she said. Valkyrie bent to clasp those little fingers, and suddenly she was wrapped in a rainbow. Erskine gasped, and Skulduggery's jaw dropped open.

"It would seem," the Grand Mage said, not bothering to disguise how proud he was, "that my beautiful little girl has inherited more from her mother than I originally thought."

"Wow," Skulduggery murmured, but he wasn't looking at Aurora, who was trailing her fingers through the gorgeous, shimmering blanket of light, humming a soft lullaby. He was looking straight at Valkyrie. An unspoken communication flashed between them, and his hand twitched aching to reach out to her. He loved her, God he loved her so much it hurt him.

oO0Oo

Erskine handed them each a thin file. It held maybe three pieces of paper. One sheet held a profile of Wistful. One sheet held a blurry picture of her, and the third held a list of the killings she'd been involved in. He focussed on the profile; it held her name, and a whole lot of empty space. The date of birth, current address, past address, family members, employment, and nationality, all of these things had one word next to them. Unknown.

"I think I can help you with some of this," Tanith said bitterly. Erskine raised an eyebrow.

"You can?" he asked. He looked so tired; it was a miracle he was still standing.

"Yes. As much as I hate her guts, she's my sister. I know enough to tell you her date of birth, her nationality, family members, stuff like that." She took another look at the crime sheet. "And the list of killings is nowhere near long enough."

"It isn't?"

"Nope; you didn't count the children."

"Children?" The Grand Mage ran a hand through his hair, his face turning grey.

"Yeah, the ones she ate." He spluttered, caught off guard.

"...She _ate_ them? Isn't that what _Goblins_ do?" He looked repulsed; the grey went green.

"Yes, if there's one thing Goblins love, it's eating babies," Skulduggery said. "Apparently, she's aspiring to be the best Goblin she can be." He looked at the crime sheet, just like Tanith. "So I'd say you can add some more killings to that list."

"A hundred and fifty two, to be exact," Tanith muttered.

"And counting," Skulduggery added. Erskine left to throw up.


	2. Aurora Borealis

_Wistful Kisses...Chapter 2..._

_**Here's the next instalment, I'm on a roll right now so I'm trying to keep it going, hope you like it (: The characters in this story still belong to Derek Landy (:**_

oO0Oo

Tanith penned in some of the information on the profile sheet, loathing her sister even more as she helped Skulduggery lengthen the list of crimes, adding the latest murder of Aurora to the bottom. He had beautiful writing, calligraphic, sloping and looping across the pages. Tanith looked at her own messy scrawl and felt embarrassed; she'd never had much time for writing.

She wasn't just annoyed at her sister; she was annoyed at Erskine too. Not majorly, just enough to get on her nerves. Fair enough, he was upset, grieving at the loss of his lover, and he needed Ghastly to know about Wistful, but did he have to have such _rotten timing? _Val was literally about to tell Skulduggery she loved him, and then Erskine came in and cut her off. She'd have to tell him off for that later.

"Tanith, you don't seem entirely focussed; are you alright?" Skulduggery asked in his smooth way, gloved hands skimming expertly across the page as he filled in one after another of Wistful's murders. If she ever saw the list, she'd be proud of herself. She wouldn't think of the families she destroyed; she'd think of it as a job well done.

"I'm fine," she answered. "I'm good, just irritated that Wistful had to come back when things were beginning to quieten down a bit round here."

"Irritated?" If Skulduggery had eyebrows, they would certainly have been raised.

"Okay, I'm more than irritated. I'm royally pissed off."

"I thought as much."

"Anyway, as far as distractions go, I believe I've done quite well in staying focussed," Tanith said, deciding right then to talk to Skulduggery about Val. She didn't want to set them up; she just wanted to know how he felt, just in case her little sister was in for a let down. Tanith hated seeing Val upset.

"You, on the other hand, seem to be so ridiculously distracted that you've stopped writing on the paper and continued onto the table." Skulduggery looked down at the pen, which was still firmly on the paper. He tilted his head, turning his eyes sockets on her. "Gotcha," she grinned.

"You, Tanith Low, are as much a mystery to me as Valkyrie."

"I try." She hesitated for a second. "Skul?" He put his pen down.

"Yes, Tanith?" He sounded like he knew what was coming next, but Tanith said it anyway.

"You have been distracted, haven't you?"

"Exceedingly so, yes." He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "What's your point, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I wanted to know what was distracting you; it's not like you to be so...unfocussed." Tanith put her own pen down too, and crooked an elbow on the table, resting her chin on her hand. She waited for him to answer, but he just sat there, hollow sockets examining the table top. He stayed silent for a long time.

oO0Oo

"I think you already have an idea about what's distracting me. I'd like to hear it," he said eventually, speaking slowly, carefully.

"I...I think it's Valkyrie that's distracting you, Skul."

"Interesting." His permanent, bone-white grin was as indecipherable as ever.

"Why is it interesting?" She was getting frustrated; she could feel it. Why did Skulduggery have to be so...impassive? That was the word she was looking for. Impassive. That was exactly it.

"Because at the moment it's definitely Valkyrie distracting me." Tanith felt her eyes widen; was he going to admit his feelings so easily? No, of course not. "She sounded like she had something important to tell me before Erskine arrived. I really want to know what was bothering her. If something's troubling her that's going to affect the way she performs, then as her partner, I need to know."

oO0Oo

He was annoying her; he could see it. Tanith wasn't good at patience, and Skulduggery was using that. Already, she was angry because she couldn't crack his shell. He had no intentions of letting her know how he felt, because he simply wasn't ready to open up. He wasn't ready to admit it to the wider public; he'd had trouble digesting it himself, metaphorically of course. He was being deliberately obstructive, too afraid to risk Tanith talking to Valkyrie and ruining the incredible friendship he shared with his partner. Whatever feelings he had were entirely one-sided; Valkyrie would never reciprocate any form of feelings for a man that wasn't really even a man. Skulduggery had all the disadvantages of a human body, and none of the advantages, as Baron Vengeous had so kindly pointed out some five years ago. He could hurt, but he couldn't kiss her. He could meditate but he could never sleep. He could taste, but he couldn't eat. He could talk, but he couldn't smile. On top of that, she was so young, and he was four hundred and twenty-something. No, she'd never love him. He could live with that.

"Skul, stop avoiding my questions. I know Val's been distracting you, but it's got nothing to do with not hearing the rest of her sentence. I know it, and you know it."

"I honestly haven't the foggiest idea what you're getting at, Tanith." She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to use his head as a football.

"You love her." The statement was abrupt, outright, and caught Skulduggery by surprise. Tanith was good at catching people by surprise. He couldn't think of an answer, and Tanith knew she was right. "You _do_! Tell her, Skul." Skulduggery considered keeping up his pretence, but he could see that Tanith knew she'd scored a bulls eye. He sagged, his arms falling loosely by his sides.

"No."

"You have to!"

"No, I don't." His voice was quiet, devoid of emotion. Tanith pinched the bridge of her nose.

"This sounds so cheesy, but you two _belong_ together, Skul. From the moment I met you both, I saw it coming. It's been waiting to happen for years. Everybody thinks so." Tanith waited for him to process her words, drumming her fingertips on the table. Skulduggery sighed.

"I can't give her what Fletcher gave her, or what any other man could give her. I am a skeleton, Tanith. I _will not_ tie her down to a monster. _No_."

"Skulduggery Pleasant, do you actually _doubt_ yourself?" She wasn't teasing; she just genuinely _could not believe_ she was hearing Skulduggery say this. He sounded so insecure.

"Yes. Yes, Tanith, I do." He also knew his past, and he knew that Darquesse, lurking somewhere deep inside Valkyrie, was very interested in Lord Vile. The combination was a very bad idea.

oO0Oo

"You can't ignore this," Tanith muttered as Skulduggery refilled his beloved car at the petrol station. Valkyrie had gone to pay with Ghastly.

"I can, and I am," he said shortly, slipping the pump back in place.

"Skulduggery, you will never let her go, and you know it. If you let this slip by, you will never be happy again. You've lost one family; don't let her slip away too." And Tanith turned and hopped in the back seat of the car, face turned away from him. Skulduggery felt like he'd been hit in the face with a tire iron; Tanith was absolutely right. And he absolutely couldn't do a thing about it. He was prepared to face misery, to watch her grow up, marry, have children, eventually drift away from him. He could never give her children.

oO0Oo

Ghastly sat beside Tanith in the back, which meant Valkyrie had to slide in beside Skulduggery, up in front. She hadn't had chance to tell him how she felt; Erskine had left to deal with other matters, and Tanith had sat with the skeleton, filling in the sheets on her psycho sister. Then they came back and Skulduggery had announced they were visiting the murder site. It was in the heart of Dublin, in a flat that looked like any other, until they entered and saw the carnage.

The drive there was almost unbearable; Skulduggery was so close, his long fingers wrapped around the gearstick, right next to her thigh. All she'd wanted to do was reach out and clasp his fingers in hers. He glanced at her a couple of times, or more, he turned his head in her direction, and the gaze was electric. Her feelings had kicked in hard after Aurora wrapped her in the rainbow bubble. And she'd become...attracted to Skulduggery, in more ways than just love. She blushed just thinking about it, and had to look out the window to hide the red glow on her cheeks. She couldn't do anything about her racing heart though.

oO0Oo

The drive was made that much longer by the ridiculous traffic; in the middle of rush hour, Dublin really wasn't pretty. Valkyrie hunched in her seat, fists squashed into her armpits to prevent any contact with Skulduggery. She'd come so close, _so close_ to telling him.

A small fiesta narrowly avoided the front end of the beautiful Bentley; only Skulduggery's nifty driving kept his pride and joy out of harm's way.

"Bloody roads," he growled.

"Somebody's grumpy," Valkyrie chuckled, and then realised she'd initiated a conversation with the man she loved, and her nerves closed her throat over.

"And somebody's quiet. You haven't said much at all, Valkyrie. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm...I'm fine." She considered just blurting it all out to him, right there, in front of Ghastly and Tanith, even though Skulduggery was in a rotten mood and stuck in traffic, and he probably didn't have even the smallest feelings for her. She needed to tell him, she knew that. It was eating her up inside, not knowing. She had to know if he felt the same, or if it was just her wishful thinking. But not there. Not in that car, at that time, with him in that mood. She let it slide, for now.

oO0Oo

"Well," Skulduggery sighed, "her death certainly wasn't quiet. Or clean." Aurora's remains were scattered around the room, bloody chunks dripping from the ornate ceiling lamp. Valkyrie sidestepped as a piece of scalp fell to the ground near her feet, narrowly avoiding the shoulder of her jacket. She grimaced, feeling sick.

"Yupp," Tanith said. "This was _definitely_ Wistful; she likes to make a mess."

"She must be much stronger than Tesseract ever was," Skulduggery muttered, a fist clenching his soul. What if they came face to face and she hurt Valkyrie?

"How'd you figure that one out?" Ghastly asked.

"Easy. He saw the blood. Aurora's, well,_ everywhere_. Tesseract twisted skeletons inside bodies and got a bit of blood in a few places, but it's like Wistful blew the bones to _dust_," Valkyrie chipped in.

"Very good, Valkyrie. I'm impressed."

"You mean I was right?" she asked the skeleton, eyes wide.

"Spot on, yes. Well done." Skulduggery was wearing the facade again, and the pressure was back in Valkyrie's heart; she missed his face, his real face. The one with the big empty eyes sockets, the perfect, straight teeth in a permanent grin. She missed _him_.

"So Tesseract broke skeletons, my sister_ blows them up_?" Tanith asked. Skulduggery nodded, and she wrinkled her nose. "Gross. Why did I have to be related to her?"

"She was stood here," Skulduggery said, pointing to the centre of the room, where a pile of internal organs sat, rotting slowly. Valkyrie gagged.

"How come those bits aren't all over the room too?" she asked when she'd gotten herself under control, brushing her dark hair out of the way.

"Apparently, Wistful likes to blow the skeleton up, but not the organs. It's like everything beneath the skeleton was safe. It was everything on the outside that got damaged," Skulduggery mused, tapping his chin with one finger. "But why Aurora? What does Wistful want?"

oO0Oo

"What were the names of the other two that she killed?" Tanith asked, as an idea lit like a bulb in the back of her mind.

"Erskine said something about them," Ghastly muttered. "Lady Foxglove and Siren Calling, I think. She's targeted Eliza Scorn in the past, too."

"What did Siren and Foxglove do?"

"Siren Calling, I knew her," Valkyrie said. "She would've been seventy yesterday if she were still alive. She made people fall in love with her when she sang. That's why she chose the name Siren."

"And what about Foxglove?"

"She could scent her skin in such a way that would capture the heart of any gentleman to smell her, a little like using perfume, but a lot stronger," Skulduggery said.

"So they all made people fall in love with them in different ways? And Eliza Scorn is even more beautiful than China, so that links her in with the love thing..." Tanith was close, she could feel it right there, on the tip of her tongue. "Wistful had a thing about pretty girls; she hated anybody prettier than her, or people liked them more. Maybe that has something to do with this? This means, if she's already gone for those three then..."

Tanith and Valkyrie shared a look.

"She's going to target China," Val said quietly, eyes on Skulduggery. He tilted his head, face impassive, his now-blue eyes boring straight into her brown ones. She saw pain, and she saw anger in those eyes, though the rest of his face remained blank.

"You want me to help her, don't you, Valkyrie," he said.

"Skulduggery...she's my...I can't...I have no right to ask you to do this. I know I don't, but please. China did terrible things, she killed your family, and she helped kill you. We know this, but you've done terrible things too, so have I, and she's my friend. I can't just let her die."

"So you plan to face Wistful to save China, then?"

"With or without your help, yes. Though without your help, I'll probably get backed into a corner and Darquesse will arrive to save the day, killing everyone in the process."

"Even though Wistful could do so much more than break your back? If Darquesse doesn't save you, you'll die" he said, his voice cold. It hurt to hear him spit the words out like that, but Valkyrie forced a nod.

"Please, Skulduggery. You're the strongest of us; we need you. You know how to keep Darquesse away," she begged. He sighed, took off his hat, and brushed a speck of imaginary lint from the brim, placing it back on his head slowly.

"Let's go then."

oO0Oo

They reached China's apartment in twenty minutes. Skulduggery drew the revolver from his jacket and pointed it at the closed door marked 'Library'. He listened for a moment, and kicked the door in, using the air to lend force to the blow. The door blasted off its hinges and slammed into a blonde woman that looked remarkably like Tanith.

"Did you mean to do that?" Valkyrie asked him, gesturing to the busted door and the woman picking herself off the floor.

"Actually, no; I meant to hit China." Valkyrie blinked, and China tapped two matching symbols on her forearms. They pulsed orange and a solid block of light slammed into the other woman, sending her crashing backwards into a bookcase. China snarled as the shelf of priceless volumes tumbled to the ground, scattering pages everywhere.

Tanith whipped the sword out of its sheath and twirled it slowly, walking towards the fallen shelves, where the blonde woman laid amidst a heap of smashed oak and ruined books.

"Wistful."

"Tanith," the other woman spat back. "How nice to see you again, sissy." The London accent that came out of Wistful's mouth was much stronger than Tanith's, and she had a tattoo over her right eye; a black dragon, breathing shadowy fire across her forehead. She lunged forwards, attempting a surprise attack, but Tanith saw it coming and snapped her boot heel into Wistful's stomach, knocking her back down. She pointed the silver blade at the throat of the murderer, pressing it against the skin hard enough to draw blood.

"You destroyed my books," China said serenely, brushing herself down. "You do realise that they, like most things in this room, were priceless, don't you?" The beautiful woman with the raven black hair and pale blue eyes arched one delicate, beautifully shaped eyebrow. "I'm going to have to kill you as payment, you know. That won't even cover the cost of _one book_, but it's a start."

"You can't kill her. She's under Sanctuary arrest," Skulduggery said abruptly, and sent a ripple of air outwards, spreading out from around his splayed fingers. It hit Wistful in the face, snapping her head back. Blood sprayed from her nose and she fell back again. Tanith snapped handcuffs around the wrists of the unconscious, bleeding woman.

China was wide eyed; she hadn't expected to see Skulduggery ever again. Yet here he was, in her apartment, surrounded by her books, with his gun, pointed right at her.

"Are you going to try and kill her anyway?" he asked.

"...No," China decided.

"Pity, I would've rather enjoyed shooting you." He put the gun away, tucking it into his exquisite suit-jacket, and strode over to Wistful.

"Skulduggery, I..."

"Don't, China. Don't push me." His voice was icy, vicious, and yet it was dead, void of emotion at the same time.

Valkyrie realised with a shiver of fear, that this was exactly what Lord Vile sounded like. At the back of her mind, something tugged, something rattled at the bars of its cage. Darquesse called out, singing to the darkness hidden within Skulduggery. She called out to the very core of his anger, right to Lord Vile. Skulduggery's head snapped toward Valkyrie, but nobody else seemed to have noticed a thing. Valkyrie didn't care; Darquesse had unlocked her prison door. She was dragging herself closer, fighting with all her strength, to the front of Valkyrie's mind. Darquesse was blotting her out, squeezing her out of the picture. This hadn't happened before; the monster inside Valkyrie had only ever surfaced when her life was in danger. Not this time.

oO0Oo

Darquesse straightened up, her eyes on the skeleton in front of her. There was that light again, that shimmering, changing light. Valkyrie howled inside her, an irritating, insistent noise in her ear, trying her hardest to break free. Darquesse wasn't listening. The skeleton was watching her, wary. Nobody else seemed to have noticed the change in her. She could kill them, all of them, and they wouldn't have a clue. They wouldn't know what happened.

They knew, of course, that Darquesse was hidden inside Valkyrie. Together, Darquesse and Lord Vile had destroyed a large portion of Dublin, locked in battle together. She'd been recognised; her secret had gotten out. The Sanctuary had sorted it, but Tanith, Ghastly, Skulduggery, China, Erskine; they all knew what she was. And yet they were still foolish enough to stay with her.

"Ghastly, Tanith," China said, noticing the difference at last. "Step away from her. Darquesse is in control." They turned, saw the Shadows writhing around her wrists. She wasn't wearing the necromancy ring; Darquesse didn't need to invest her power in a silly trinket, not like Valkyrie.

"You don't look pleased to see me," she said, strolling forwards, dark hair tousled by a non-existent breeze.

"Valkyrie, please," Skulduggery said, hand outstretched. She shot forwards and grabbed that hand, ripping it away at the socket. She tossed it across the room as the skeleton yelled. She was interested to see that the life encircling him didn't follow the separated limb.

"I'm not Valkyrie. Not anymore."

Darquesse was free, and oh, it felt so good...


	3. First Kiss

Wistful Kisses...Chapter 3...

_**Third instalment, wow the story's really taking on a life of it's own o.O Just so you all know, even if it's crap, I'm really enjoying writing this (: I appreciate the reads so much, so thanks guys! Derek Landy, thank you for blessing us with the enigma that is Skulduggery Pleasant, who is still owned by Derek, by the way, along with all the rest of the characters. I'm not getting paid for this like he would :L **_

oO0Oo

"Where's Valkyrie?" Skulduggery asked, one sleeve of his jacket hanging empty. "I want her back. You give her back, Darquesse. I've told you before and I'll tell you again; this isn't your time."

"My time is whenever I choose." Darquesse smiled, alive with dark energy. Shadows sizzled at her fingertips, writhing and twisting as she watched the lights dance around his skeleton, spiking like a hedgehog when he realised Valkyrie couldn't hear him at all. He was hurting for her...how sweet.

"I want her back. Or do I have to take her from you again?"

"Try me, skeleton. We both know there's only one way you can take me. My secret's out, but yours is still tucked away nice and safe. Would you risk losing everything just to get her back?" Darquesse smirked wickedly when he didn't answer. "Didn't think so."

"Valkyrie?" Tanith spoke; the silly blonde woman thought she was so special to Valkyrie. Emotional bonds meant nothing. Darquesse snapped her fingers and Tanith dropped to her knees beneath a club of shadows. She felt the slightest shift behind her, before a rushing wall of solid air was thrown at her, so she swung a lazy arm and the wall changed direction, slamming into China. The raven-haired woman yelled as she was thrown off her feet. Darquesse didn't miss the tilt of Skulduggery's head; he appreciated that. She latched onto it.

"You enjoyed seeing that, didn't you, skeleton? Valkyrie asked you to save China, but _I_ could destroy her. You could help me if you wanted. Wouldn't you like to kill her? To tear her apart for taking your family, your wife? Your _daughter_? That wasn't all she took, was it? She took your life, and left you with _this_." Darquesse gestured to him, indicating his skeleton.

"You're insufferable," he groaned.

"She left you with nothing but your bones. You can't love, you can't share anything you feel, because nobody wants to share with you."

"Shut up, Darquesse. I'm tired of hearing you talk."

"I know you as well as Valkyrie does, Pleasant, perhaps even better than her. You'd love nothing more than to tear China Sorrows into tiny, bleeding pieces. You want to hear her scream for what she did to you." Darquesse directed spears of shadow at China, forcing them to soak into her body. China shrieked in agony as the blackness wrapped around her heart and squeezed. Skulduggery Pleasant drew his gun.

"Don't make me shoot you, Darquesse," he murmured.

"Shoot me? Of all the things you could choose to do, you're going to _shoot_ me? I expected more from you, a lot more." She flashed him a wicked smile. "I wanted to see your dark side again."

"Haven't a clue what you're talking about, now be a dear and give me back my partner."

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Pretty please?"

"The presence of the 'pretty' doesn't make your argument any stronger, Pleasant. I like being free. It feels good. What if I don't want to go back to being something locked away in her subconscious?"

"Tough. Get back in your cage Darquesse, this isn't your world yet."

oO0Oo

Tanith came at Darquesse again, and Ghastly joined her in the attack. Darquesse jumped, sticking to the ceiling. Tanith followed, but Ghastly was useless; he couldn't help from the ground. Tanith kicked, upside down, and Darquesse grabbed her ankle, throwing her straight at her new boyfriend.

They crashed to the ground with a satisfying thud, just as China pressed her fingertips together, joining the matching symbols there, and splayed her hands, throwing out a wave of burning green energy. It wrapped around Darquesse, searing her flesh, burning away at her. She laughed and watched her skin bubble as the green lights shot down her throat, cooking her insides. She wasn't afraid; the shadows followed the light, snuffing out the violent emerald flame, and Darquesse began to heal, quickly. In seconds she was whole again, unharmed, and dropping to the ground. A spear of blackness sliced China's leg open with a flick of her wrist. Another dragged a deep gash through the skin of her back. Small clubs beat at her incessantly. China Sorrows was battered into the ground.

"None of you can stop me, so why bother trying?" Darquesse asked, enjoying the fun. She turned Tanith's own sword back on her, driving it deep into the flesh of her hip, before slamming a boot heel straight into Ghastly's bald, scarred head. Skulduggery followed immediately, grabbing Darquesse's arms and pinning them behind her. She spun round to head butt him and he pushed her away, spiked shadows piercing her chest as darkness made its bid for freedom. She staggered, pleased. This was different; he was stronger, somehow.

oO0Oo

Lord Vile was fighting to break free. Darquesse beamed, and rose off the ground a few inches, sitting cross-legged in midair as she healed herself.

"Not so easy to contain him now, is it?" She asked the skeleton as he struggled with his darker side. He growled and launched himself at her, snatching her out of the air, pinning her beneath him. With disappointment, she saw the shadows that were beginning to take over his soul retreating, fading away as Skulduggery regained control of himself.

She made no effort to get up; instead she brought her face closer to his, to whisper in what acted as his ear. "I know you love her, Pleasant. I know how she feels about you, too. Does it hurt, knowing that you'll never give her what Fletcher did?" Pleasant grabbed the lapels of her protective coat and slammed her downwards, hard against the ground. Darquesse laughed.

"You're a monster," he groaned.

"So are you."

"Not anymore," Skulduggery said. "And neither is Valkyrie. Give her back to me."

"But she's not yours to claim, Skulduggery," Darquesse giggled. "You never told her how you felt. You should have; maybe she could've suppressed me for a while longer." Darquesse revelled in his torment, and in the iridescent lights dancing around his skeleton. His life force was so beautiful; Darquesse reached out and took a hold of it. She felt him freeze above her.

"I could kill you," she said. "I could rip the life from your bones and use it, just like Melancholia did. It's not so hard." She squeezed the light between her fingers and Skulduggery gasped in pain. "It hurts, doesn't it. It hurts _bad_; I can see that. But I don't want you dead; the man inside you interests me. I like him. He's fun to fight, a challenge for me, and it's not often I meet a real challenge."

"I don't care who you like," Skulduggery answered roughly. "Give me back my partner."

"Admit it and I will. Say it, and you can have her back."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Admit that you love her. Admit it and I'll let her out." Darquesse wanted the connection between them. She wanted to unlock the doors that held Lord Vile at bay. She wanted somebody to destroy the world with her, but to do that, she had to bring Skulduggery and Valkyrie closer somehow.

"You swear you'll let her go?"

"Cross my heart. Go on, say it," Darquesse smiled, waiting. China wasn't moving; neither was Tanith. Ghastly was on the ground too. Darquesse wanted to hear him say it; she wanted to hear Valkyrie scream inside her at the knowledge that he loved her. She wanted to trap the girl with the memory of his voice before Darquesse stole Skulduggery away, and unleashed Lord Vile.

Skulduggery took a breath, the words sticking in what would've been his throat. He couldn't say it; Darquesse wasn't to be trusted. She wouldn't keep her deal. But he wanted to say it. He wanted to tell Valkyrie that he loved her, and to have her say it back. He started to speak...

oO0Oo

Wistful didn't know what was happening; people were fighting somebody that, a few seconds ago, had been on their side. She didn't much care; she wanted to kill the skeleton for breaking her nose, and then Tanith for being, well, Tanith. She'd always hated her sister; so many times she'd fantasised about the different ways she'd kill her. She'd take her looks first, destroying her pretty little face, and then she'd slit Tanith's throat. It would be long, and painful, and very, very fun, but she wanted the skeleton first. So she wriggled out of those impossible, insufferable handcuffs. She wriggled free of them somehow, and focussed on the fighting.

The skeleton was struggling with something, beginning to speak, with the dark haired girl pinned beneath him. Wistful liked her; she was dangerous, unpredictable. The only problem was that she was too pretty. Wistful didn't like people to be prettier than her. Anybody more favoured than her had to die; that was just the way it went.

The memory of the air slamming into her so hard that it mashed her nose into a pulp made Wistful furious. Seething, she strode over to the skeleton. Nobody was paying attention to her, which annoyed her even more. Her power could deal with him; she could obliterate him. How interesting to be one of the few people in the world who could actually end him.

He started to speak, just as her hands clasped the sides of his head. He groaned, but instead of exploding, he slumped and fell apart. The girl with the dark hair screamed.

oO0Oo

Darquesse felt Valkyrie flare inside her, so bright it actually _hurt_. She battered her way to the forefront, somehow sharing the space. The body that contained Darquesse and Valkyrie thrashed, and they fused, suddenly, unexpectedly, they joined together. Valkyrie was herself and Darquesse all at the same time. She saw the sparkling light that was Skulduggery's conscious as it was pulled into Wistful. It ran through her veins, mixing with her blood and shining out of her eyes, ears, mouth and nose. It didn't belong there; Darquesse watched furiously, Valkyrie helplessly, as Wistful laughed.

Valkyrie panicked, afraid it would be absorbed completely, but Darquesse used her anger to fuel herself, too strong to defeat. She simply wrapped tendrils of shadow around the light and ripped it free of the pathetic woman in front of her, directing it at Skulduggery's bones even as Wistful was staggering backwards. While Valkyrie concentrated on manipulating the air and fixing Skulduggery, the part of her that was still Darquesse rounded on Wistful, who was screaming in anger.

"I'm going to kill you, brat. And then I'm going to kill my sister, and your skeleton friend all over again. I will get her. I'll get you all."

"Not yet though, eh?" Darquesse grinned. Wistful deliberated, gritting her teeth. She decided to stay; this girl was _not_ going to get the better of her.

She feinted low, then kicked high, trying to surprise the girl they called Darquesse. Valkyrie was dimly aware of the fight taking place, but her mind was still concentrating on Skulduggery and fixing him. She located his arms in the corner as Darquesse forced her body into a blinding spin, snapping a foot out to knock Wistful off her feet. Her head cracked against the floor, hard.

Valkyrie took the opportunity to whip the lonely arm from the corner of the room, towards the rest of Skulduggery, and the second it connected, the light glowed brilliantly, before soaking into his bones. Her partner groaned and sat up, looking around. Darquesse nodded triumphantly, and Valkyrie disappeared again, the temporary bond between good and evil disintegrating.

oO0Oo

Skulduggery tried to stand, failing miserably. His bones trembled with the pain, weak and useless for the moment. To make things worse, the small flutter of Valkyrie he'd seen disappeared as quickly as it came. He couldn't bring her back; he couldn't call Valkyrie out of her shackles. This was entirely up to Darquesse, and it killed him to know that.

She strode over to him and knelt down beside him, so close. He propped himself up on his elbows, his bones throbbing.

"You're in pain," she said, not sympathetically, just acknowledging the fact that, together, her and Wistful had managed to damage him.

"Yes," he said.

"So you won't be fighting me?" she asked.

"No."

"Good, we have a chance to talk."

"Oh joy, I've always found your conversation scintillating, Darquesse," he said sarcastically. Her lips twitched; oh, she _liked_ him. She could see why Valkyrie was so in love, his pull was magnetising.

"You're not so bad, Skeleton Detective."

"You, on the other hand, are terrible. And I mean that quite sincerely." He cocked his head.

"I wonder; what would've happened to poor little Valkyrie if you hadn't taken her with you, that night that you first saved her life? Would she have found her own way into magic?" Darquesse mused aloud.

"Valkyrie is stubborn; it's more than likely she'd have tracked me down anyway."

"You think so?"

"Yes." It was surreal, talking to this monster inside Valkyrie like it was something they did everyday. He watched silently as China struggled to her feet, tapped the glowing symbol on her throat and screamed, solid orange light bursting from her mouth, towards the dark-haired stranger who was still so familiar. She flicked her wrist, and the wall stopped and shattered, the fragments of light fading before they hit the floor. Darquesse gestured and China slammed backwards, her head cracking the plaster on the wall. She slumped to the ground, losing consciousness yet again.

oO0Oo

Skulduggery noticed absently that Wistful had disappeared, but hurt too much to care. He could arrest her some other time; she was the least of his worried. Whatever Darquesse and Wistful had done to him, it was painful, and she was revelling in his agony. She stared, absorbed by something about him. She seemed to be watching the space around him, rather than looking at him.

oO0Oo

Darquesse was watching the lights, the very essence of Skulduggery. They dimmed, brightened, and dimmed again, like they were going out. It worried her, or more, it worried Valkyrie inside her. Darquesse was only interested in Vile. If Skulduggery moved on, Vile would stay. She could make him stay; all she had to do was pluck the darkness out of his departing soul and bind it back to the body. Lord Vile would rise. But for some reason, Darquesse was unable to destroy Pleasant herself. Valkyrie was insistent, and when it came to her best friend, she was strong enough to regain control.

Darquesse was curious; she stretched a hand towards the lights, fingertips brushing against an azure blue patch. She gently, ever so gently, trailed her fingers through it, and the skeleton shivered, not in pain but...involuntarily. Pleasure, was it? Darquesse did it again and he grabbed her wrist.

"Stop that."

"So you _can_ feel pleasure," she grinned, and gave Valkyrie a mental kick, stirring the girl into motion. "And there was me thinking love would be entirely useless to you."

"Please, don't do that again."

"You don't like how it makes you feel?"

"No, I don't like it being _you_ to make me feel that way."

"That can be changed."

Darquesse smiled again, and before he could protest or make a move to stop her, she pressed her lips to where his should have been. He froze, surprised more than anything else, as Darquesse continued to kiss him. She dragged Valkyrie forwards in her mind, forcing her to the front, triumphant. Darquesse had set the ball rolling; they wouldn't be able to deny their feelings any longer. Skulduggery would claim Valkyrie, leaving Lord Vile open. And the best part? Neither of them would even know it was happening.

As the controls changed hands, and Valkyrie was able to move her own limbs again, Skulduggery's head tilted, one hand brushing her arm lightly, the teeth parting as he kissed her back. Valkyrie Cain closed her eyes.

oO0Oo

She was kissing him, _kissing_ Skulduggery. And he was kissing her back. She had no idea why Darquesse had done it, why she'd initiated this, or why she'd withdrawn just before Skulduggery began to respond, but she didn't care.

It was strange, kissing a man with no lips, but it wasn't impossible. It was...well, incredible, to say the least. And he wasn't pushing her away, which was a good sign. He was gentle, despite the hard smoothness of his bones, and a certain kind tenderness was displayed. Valkyrie's stomach did a flip, and her heart squeezed happily.

She pulled away, realising just what she was doing. Skulduggery cocked his head to the side a little, watching her. He watched her for a while, a few minutes even, before he managed to find his voice. When he did answer, it sounded like he hadn't spoken for a very long time.

"How much of that kiss were you yourself for?"

"...A lot of it, actually," she blushed. "I...I was given control when...well, when you kissed me back."

"So you were aware of what was happening?"

"Completely, yeah."

"Hmm. You know that I'm a skeleton, yes?"

"Yeah. I figured that part out all by myself, a long time ago."

"And that doesn't bother you?" he asked doubtfully.

"It stopped bothering me after I fainted, the night you saved my life. Now, you're just another man to me." She faltered, realising what she'd just said, how it sounded. "Well, not just _any_ other man, but..."

"I know what you mean, Valkyrie," he said softly.

"You do?" He nodded, his skull gleaming white.

"Valkyrie, do...do you have..._feelings_ for me?" She'd never heard him struggle so hard to find words before; it was strange to see him so vulnerable.

"Yes. I have done for a while now." She kept her eyes down, so he tilted her chin up with two gloved fingers.

"I'm glad you told me."

"You are?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes; you've been distracted for a while. I know why now." He looked towards the slumbering forms of their friends. "We'll talk about this, I promise. But right now, we seem to have forgotten about our friends, who are injured and bleeding."

"What about China?" Reluctantly, he looked towards the battered beauty.

"Oh...her too."


	4. Bigger Problems

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 4...**_

_**Fourth chapter in four days! Hope everybody's enjoying the story, it's taking over everything else at the moment. I know I'm really enjoying writing it, and I want to thank everybody who's put this on their alerts or reviewed it for me or even taken the time to just read the first few words! It's really good to be getting my writing out there (: All characters are still down to Derek Landy!**_

oO0Oo

"Tanith?" Valkyrie shook her friend, worried that she was too injured to even open her eyes. She was bruised, great purple patches mottling her skin, and her hip was split open where Darquesse had stabbed her. The guilt tore at Valkyrie; she'd injured her friends because she couldn't keep a lid on her own subconscious.

Ghastly groaned and touched his nose gingerly, wincing when it throbbed painfully.

"I think Darquesse broke my teeth," he mumbled. Valkyrie bent to check, worried that she'd robbed him of his smile. She remembered how upsetting it'd been for her when Sanguine knocked out her tooth, years ago. She'd been devastated, she'd actually _cried_.

"Your smile's still there." She smiled, relieved, and offered him her hand. He let her help him to his feet, while Skulduggery woke Tanith. Her eyelids fluttered, one socket already turning a dark purple-blue colour. The guilt bit down, digging its hooks into Valkyrie's flesh.

"...Ouch," Tanith hissed, and Ghastly immediately bent to pick her up off the ground. Tanith closed her eyes. "Sword?" Skulduggery slipped it back into the sheath on her leg.

"Tanith, I'm sorry," Valkyrie whispered, guilt sticking in her throat, mixing with the tears there.

"Don't...Don't worry 'bout it...You weren't...weren't yourself, Val."

"If I could've stopped her I would've, I swear." Tanith opened her eyes and smiled, grimacing when it stretched her split lip.

"Stop...apologising, you're...you're getting...on my nerves," she teased weakly, blonde hair sticking to the blood on her face. A tear slipped down Valkyrie's cheek. "Baby," Tanith chuckled, and closed her eyes again, resting her head against Ghastly's shoulder.

China was in better shape, with just cuts and bruises to deal with. Her outfit, however, was ruined. The beautiful green blouse was torn and ragged, the trousers stained with blood. The necklace she'd been wearing, one that she'd said "cost two very fine men their lives", was scattered across the floor in little, sparkling pieces. She sat up and brushed herself down, trying her best to retain her dignity, before her gaze settled on Valkyrie. Val was still China's friend, but it was awkward. In fact, it was thoroughly uncomfortable; all she could imagine was China enticing Skulduggery's family to their deaths.

"Valkyrie...You _are_ Valkyrie, right?"

"Darquesse is gone for now, yeah."

"Is anybody dead?"

"No."

"And Wistful?" Valkyrie looked around; she'd forgotten all about the woman.

"Gone; she slipped away while Skulduggery was busy with Darquesse."

"Pity; I would've liked to see her being carted away in handcuffs. She damaged plenty of my books," China said, frowning delicately.

"However much damage Wistful did, Darquesse did about four times more, China."

"Yes, but the difference between them is that I can beat Wistful without even trying."

"Ah...okay." The silence was strained.

"Valkyrie..." China hesitated again. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't quite know how to say it. She tried again. "I'm...sorry. I...I didn't...Skulduggery was..."

"China, save it, okay? I'm not the one you need to apologise to. You killed _Skulduggery's_ family, not mine, and you lied to _him_ for hundreds of years, not me. He's the one that needs the apology."

"I don't think an apology could fix this, not for him," China said doubtfully.

"Then I can't help you. This is between you and him."

"If I could go back and change things, I would, you know."

"So would I, China," Valkyrie sighed. "So would I."

"Valkyrie, we need to take Tanith to see Doctor Nye," Skulduggery chipped in. He sounded strange, weaker somehow. Valkyrie watched as he swayed precariously. And she realised with alarm that she could still see his soul. How had she not realised? _And why was the light dying out?_

The momentary flickering passed, and he shook his head like he was emerging from a thick fog into bright light. Valkyrie frowned, but said nothing; she didn't need to worry everybody, not with Tanith in the state she was in. Skulduggery turned his big, empty sockets on her for a split second, before tapping the symbols on his collar bones and activating the facade and turning to leave. Almost as an afterthought, he turned back.

"China needs medical attention," he said. Val nodded, understanding his reluctance to address the woman who murdered his wife and child. He left without another word.

oO0Oo

Doctor Nye was busy fixing Tanith. Ghastly was away with Erskine, explaining the situation. China was waiting to be fixed up. Valkyrie sat, drowning in her own guilt. She'd almost killed Tanith, a woman who was practically her _sister_. She'd turned China's powers against her, kicked Ghastly in the face, and God only knows what the _Hell_ she'd done to Skulduggery.

He entered the room in silence, the facade gone now he didn't need it. He saw Valkyrie, huddled in a hard plastic chair, knees tucked up to her chest. He saw the tears pouring down her cheeks, and immediately, he sat beside her and wrapped his bony arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"I nearly killed Tanith," she said in a small voice.

"You didn't do anything; Darquesse did. That monster isn't something you can control, and you know it. Don't let her guilt tear you apart. I speak from experience, Valkyrie. If you take responsibility for something that wasn't down to you, it'll eat you alive. You'll go insane."

"Maybe I'd be better off that way."

"And how do you propose to keep a lid on Darquesse if you're crazy?" She didn't have an answer to that. "Do you see my point?"

"Yeah, but I can't help feeling guilty; I remember everything, Skulduggery. Every last little thing I did to hurt you all."

"_You_ didn't do anything, apart from save my life. Darquesse laid into everyone, but you fixed my body. I could see, you know. When Wistful took the life from my bones, I could see through her eyes, and I felt Darquesse drag me free."

"I bet that was weird."

"And incredibly painful, to say the least." He seemed to fade out for a few seconds, again, before waking up and continuing the conversation. "I won't be looking for a repeat experience anytime soon, at least."

"Are you okay, Skulduggery?"

"I'm not sure; I think so. Why do you ask?" He looked down. "All my limbs are still attached, I haven't left my head behind, so I'd say so, yes."

"You keep...fading out."

"And what on earth does that mean?"

"You stop talking and you can't hold yourself up, like you might pass out or something." She watched the lights sputtering, fading and brightening again, still wondering why she could see them; only Darquesse had been able to see the force that kept his skeleton animated, but there was the iridescent, multicoloured, glowing bubble, right before Valkyrie's eyes. And it was still flickering like it was about to die out. "Your light keeps flickering too," she added. He waited, processing her words. He cocked his head, and she realised he had no idea what she was talking about.

"You are odd, Valkyrie," he decided. "What am I supposed to say to that?"

"Wait, I didn't tell you?" Valkyrie couldn't believe she'd overlooked something so important.

"Tell me what?"

"About the lights!"

"Your ambiguity is becoming increasingly irritating, Valkyrie. What exactly are you talking about?"

"Darquesse can...I can see your soul. It looks like...well, a rainbow. It...it sparkles. Or at least it did before Wistful got her hands on it."

"Are you saying that I, Lord Vile, the evil and terrible, murdering, most hated figure in the entire war, have a multicoloured, sparkly soul?"

"Yes."

"Really? Multicoloured? _Sparkly_?"

"Yes, Skulduggery."

"Well, that's a let down...I was actually expecting it to be more of a black cloud. Or purple, perhaps."

"Purple? Why..." she sighed, trying not to get side tracked; he was so distracting!. "Anyway, I can see your soul, and it's flickering like a dying candle."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Well it's only started doing that since you started fading out, so I'd say yes, it's a bad thing."

"Oh."

The conversation stopped for a while, and Valkyrie continued to watch that pretty, dimming glow.

"Valkyrie, you're staring at me."

"It's not everyday I see a walking lamp, you know."

"A _lamp_?"

"Yeah...I wonder if I can touch it like Darquesse did." Before Skulduggery could object, she reached out and gently jabbed a light green streak. He jerked away.

"...That tickled."

"You're _ticklish_?"

"Normally, no. I wasn't ticklish even with skin." She did it again, and again he jerked away. She chuckled and continued, making him gasp. "This," he said, trying to bat her hands away and failing, "is _torture_." He managed to snag her wrists eventually, and pinned them by her sides. She was grinning, and he suddenly found himself unable to look away, remembering the kiss they'd shared. She was stunning; her smile shone in those deep, dark brown eyes.

"Skulduggery," she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Is now a good time to talk?"

"About?"

"The kiss."

"Ah. Well, there's no one around to overhear, or interfere, so I suppose so. What are you wanting to say?" He released her wrists, and she sat her hands limply in her lap.

"I want to know; why did you kiss Darquesse back?"

"If I remember right, I didn't respond until your consciousness returned," he answered.

"But did you know it was me? For all I know, you could've been kissing Darquesse."

"The only person that would kiss Darquesse that way is Vile, and he's tucked safely away up here." Skulduggery tapped his skull, and his knuckles made a pleasing hollow sound against the bone.

"So you're saying you knew it was me?"

"Yes." Valkyrie blinked; she hadn't expected him to be so open.

"Really?"

"Yes, really, Valkyrie. I kissed you; why is that so hard to understand?"

"Because I never expected you to feel the same," she mumbled.

"And how exactly do you feel?" He tilted his head, the way he always tilted it when he wanted to know what she was thinking. A light flush spread across her cheeks, so pretty.

"I love you. I...I want to be with you, Skulduggery."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Valkyrie." He saw the hurt in her eyes, and realised that she thought this was a rejection. "Not because I don't feel the same, believe me, I've never wanted to be with anybody more, but because it's a very _bad_ idea."

"You want me too?" she asked, unable to help the tiny smile tugging at her lips. That was what she wanted to hear; that was all she needed.

"I love you, Valkyrie. I have done for the last two years. I have no shame in admitting that my life revolves around you, or that if it were okay, I'd kiss you again right now."

"Why wouldn't it be okay?" She couldn't believe he was saying the words. He had _said_ it. He'd said 'I love you'. To _her_.

"Do you honestly think bringing Vile and Darquesse closer to one another is a good thing?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Then being with you would also be a bad idea." He took her hand in his. "I care, Valkyrie, more than you know. But if we were together, the rest of the world would be at risk. Not to mention, I'm a skeleton, and four hundred years older than you."

"Age doesn't matter, and I've seen you as a man for years. I don't care about anything else, Skulduggery. Can't we try? Please? If Darquesse tries to reach Vile, we can end it and go back to being friends," she said hopefully. Skulduggery cocked his head, considering her idea.

"I can't give you a physical relationship, you know. Not the way Fletcher or Caelan did."

"I don't care...Well, no, obviously I care. But that's not all I want...Wait...Does that mean you're considering this?"

"It's a terrible idea, possibly the worst idea you've ever had, and you've had some spectacularly _bad_ ideas. But yes, I am." Her stomach flipped at his answer.

"You mean...you want to be with me?"

"I'd take you in a heartbeat, Valkyrie. Metaphorically, of course." He still held her hand; he didn't want to let go. "I'd do anything for this."

"Then please, Skulduggery. I'll try if you will," she said, and placed a gentle kiss on his jaw bone.

"Valkyrie, I don't know how to be in a relationship. It's been a long time for me."

"Then we'll take it slow. Say you'll try Skulduggery, please."

"...Okay. But if Lord Vile tries to reach Darquesse, or the other way round, this ends. Deal?"

"You make it sound so business-like."

"Valkyrie..."

"Okay! Okay, deal." She kissed him, timidly, hesitant at first, but as he tilted his head and his teeth parted, just like the first time, the kiss deepened. And this time it was all her; Darquesse wasn't around to force anything.

oO0Oo

Darquesse was hidden, deep in Valkyrie's mind. She knew exactly what was happening, and she could feel that Vile did, too. Skulduggery and Valkyrie seemed unaware, totally oblivious. Safely hidden from the girl's awareness, Darquesse smiled, hiding in the shadows, waiting for her time.

oO0Oo

Tanith was in a mud bath, covered up to her neck. The mud was thick, and warm, and a little yellow, and it was the second time Valkyrie had seen her there. The first was when the Remnant had possessed Kenspeckle and tortured her.

"Hey, Val," she said wearily, and then squinted to look closer at Valkyrie. "What happened? You look excited."

"Well, Skulduggery never said I couldn't tell you so..."

"_Skulduggery_? You told him! Oh, Val, what did he _say_?"

"Well...we kissed."

"Really? What was it like? Was it weird?"

"It was incredible." She sat down by the side of the pool, smiling to herself.

"You gotta give me more than that, Val."

"Yeah, it was weird. He has no lips, so it was a new experience. But it was a _good_ weird, the kind of weird that makes me want to do it again, and again."

"Are you together?"

"Well, yeah. Yeah, we are. He told me he loves me, Tanith."

"Val, that's great, it really is," she beamed.

"So how are you? I'm sorry Darquesse kicked your butt so bad."

"Stop apologising, it wasn't you hurting me. Let's just say you were possessed and the particular monster that took you is _really_ tough."

"I should be able to control her though, Tanith. She's part of me."

"She's a part of you that you can't access, Valkyrie. She's tied to your true name; there's nothing you can do about her, so it's best to just get on with it." Tanith cocked her head. "I want to know why she turned up though."

"Me too; she usually only comes out when my life's in danger, like when I faced the Jitter Girls a few years ago."

"Those girls are just freaky. Did Darquesse win?"

"I'm still alive, so yeah."

oO0Oo

Doctor Nye came wandering in on his long, stick-like legs, bulging eyes narrowed at Valkyrie. Tanith slid deeper into the mud, eyeing it warily. Valkyrie took a step back; when she'd sealed her name, it had tried to keep her with it so it could study her. She'd been nervous round it ever since.

Nye scratched the festering sore where its nose used to be, and cocked its head.

"Elder Bespoke is healed, Miss Low. How do you feel?"

"Is he okay?"

"Not a scratch on him; I am good at my work, as good as Doctor Kenspeckle. How do you feel?"

"Good. And I ache, all over."

"The aching means you are healing. Another few hours and you will be fine."

"A few hours? You expect me to sit in this big bucket of slop for a few _hours_?"

"If you ever want to fight again, yes." Tanith muttered under her breath, but didn't object aloud anymore. "Miss Sorrows will be joining you shortly."

"Oh, _great_." Tanith started to sulk, and Valkyrie shifted uncomfortably.

"Tanith, you're not going to start an argument with China, are you?"

"Not unless she talks to me. If she stays quiet then I'll have no reason to argue."

China walked in before Valkyrie could answer, wrapped in a thick white towelling robe. She was pale and bruised, but nowhere near as beaten up as Tanith.

"Ladies," China said. Tanith shot her a glare. "Don't look so pleased to see me."

"China, do not talk to me." Tanith made a point of not looking at the beautiful woman, and Valkyrie averted her eyes too as China removed the robe and slipped into the thick gloop.

"Well, that was a lovely start to a conversation."

"About as lovely as you murdering an innocent mother and child," Tanith snapped. Valkyrie closed her eyes and put her face in her hands, praying China didn't answer. She did.

"Everybody does things they regret."

"True, but not everybody decides to lie to their friends for decades about the terrible things they did, especially when it constitutes_ ruining that person's life_."

"Tanith, I'm tired, bruised, and my Library is in tatters. I don't want to listen to this."

"Tough. People don't do things when it suits you, China. You might look perfect, but you're as twisted as the Faceless Ones themselves. You say you've changed, but you're still a life-wrecking murderer. You always will be one."

"Tanith-"

"Save it. Shut up, China."

"That's it, I'm out," Valkyrie said, getting to her feet. "I don't want to hear this; you can argue between yourselves. Give me a call when you're allowed to get out of here, Tanith."

"Okay Val, see ya."

"Goodbye Valkyrie."

"China," Valkyrie nodded, and hurried out of the vast room, careful not to slip on the mud.

oO0Oo

Ghastly called after Valkyrie as she wandered down a corridor, not heading in any particular direction. His face was good as new, just like Nye said.

"Valkyrie, have you seen Tanith?"

"Yeah, she's in the room with the big mud pools."

"How is she?"

"Angry. She's arguing with China. Again."

"I take it you took an easy escape?"

"It was that or sit and listen to them until one of them dragged me into it. Besides, the mud _stinks_."

"Hmm, I would've done the same, I must admit.

Skulduggery came out of a room branching off the corridor, and came to stand beside Valkyrie. Her heart squeezed excitedly as he took her hand. Ghastly raised an eyebrow.

"I'll explain later," Skulduggery said to him.

"It's not my business, but I will say congratulations."

"Thank you," Skulduggery said, sounding mildly surprised. "I expected you to disagree with it."

"You'll hear what I have to say later, when you explain this to me, but for now, all I can do is be nice. I am happy for you both, honestly." Valkyrie squeezed Skulduggery's hand, and he brushed his teeth against the top of her head in a kiss.

The lights around the skeleton faltered and Skulduggery staggered again, unable to support himself this time. Ghastly and Valkyrie grabbed him to keep him upright, and he cocked his head blearily.

"Oh dear," he mumbled. "It appears the fight inflicted more damage than I originally thought." And Skulduggery Pleasant, the great Skeleton Detective, passed out, his body sagging.


	5. China's Sorrows

_Wistful Kisses...Chapter 5..._

_**Wow, this story really got some amazing reactions! Thanks everybody, you've boosted my confidence so much! I love all of you! Anyway, here's the next part, I hope you like it; I'm trying to do Derek Landy proud! Of course all the characters belong to him, without him this story wouldn't exist! (: Enjoy!**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie didn't panic; as faint as it was, Skulduggery's consciousness still flickered around him, and that gave her some hope.

"We need to get him to the Infirmary; Nye might know what to do." Ghastly nodded in agreement and they proceeded to half drag, half carry the skeleton towards help.

"Stop...Don't fuss...I...I'll be fine," Skulduggery mumbled half heartedly.

"Shut up," Ghastly muttered. "You need help, so you're going to the Infirmary. That's an order, by the way."

"Sir, yes sir." He joked wearily, attempting a weak, mock salute before his skull lolled forwards, and snapped upright again as his soul flared bright for a second, before dimming again, burning lower than ever.

Nye looked up from a body it was dissecting, and blinked its bulging eyes. It put down the surgical tools, stripped off its gloves and took a few steps forwards on long, spindly legs.

"What happened?" it asked, pulling on a clean pair of rubber gloves with an ominous 'snap'. Valkyrie hated doctors, but Nye terrified her; it'd already tried to keep her animated corpse as its plaything once before.

"He passed out," Ghastly answered.

"Yes, I can see that, but with respect, Elder Bespoke, I need to know_ why_ he lost consciousness."

"The woman we were trying to arrest took Skulduggery's soul from his bones. We managed to get it back, but he's been fading in and out a lot since then," Valkyrie explained softly; Skulduggery was very still now, the lights hardly moving.

"I will examine him; for now, I cannot say if he will live or if he will die for a second time."

"Third," she corrected.

"Yes, okay, _third_. I don't need corrections from a child." Nye sneered, its rotting scab of a nose opening, small lines of yellow blood trickling from the gaping wound. Her anger peaked.

"I'm not a child, now fix my friend before I make you," Valkyrie warned, her voice low and threatening. "You heard what I did; I destroyed half of Dublin, I've killed people. I'm supposed to destroy the world. Don't make me hurt you, Nye." It took a step back, its defiance fading.

"Put him over there." The frog-thing gestured to the closest empty bed, and Ghastly helped Valkyrie set the man she loved down on the crisp white sheets. He was so _still_.

oO0Oo

Valkyrie slammed a boot heel into the solid, swinging bag, feeling the muscles in her legs tense. She'd matured a lot in the last eight years; her arms were strong and solid, her stomach toned and flat. She had long legs and a powerful kick, and her necromancy and elemental skills had improved massively in a short space of time. She was close to the Surge; she could feel it. She'd have to settle soon, but she still had no idea which discipline she wanted to continue with. Elemental magic was everything she'd ever dreamed it would be, and with the most accomplished teacher in the world as her mentor, she was already stronger than most mages. She knew Skulduggery would want her to choose the elements, especially since he'd taught her everything she knew.

But Necromancy filled her with a black energy so powerful she felt she could change the shape of the world with a simple snap of her fingers. She'd never experienced power like it, it was addictive, consuming, incredible, and she was hooked.

Another solid blow to the punch bag set it careening wildly on its chain, and she followed up with a lot of elbows, fists and knees. She was venting, working out her anger the only way she knew how; training. Skulduggery had taught her this, a long time ago. Way back when he'd first agreed to mentor her, he'd teased her about how weak her punches were. He'd told her a toddler could pack a bigger punch. She'd responded by hammering the bag with her fist so hard that it knocked him backwards a couple of steps. He'd been pleased with her, very pleased. He'd even said that one day she'd be a brilliant mage, one of the best. He'd trained her, in tandem with Tanith, everyday he was able; Valkyrie had spent nearly every waking moment of the last eight years with him, and many sleeping moments too.

Her anger coiled and thrashed, her hand whipping out and sending a wall of air at the bag. It burst upon impact, ripped from the chain it hung from, and slammed into the opposite wall with a thundering crash, cracking the brick work. The contents spilled onto the floor, scattering everywhere, and Valkyrie turned and swung a fist into the wall, followed by another, and another. And then she dropped to her knees and curled up, crying, ignoring her bleeding knuckles.

She hated crying because it made her feel weak, but she couldn't help herself. Hot tears stung her cheeks, sliding down her neck and dripping in little spots, settling on the ground and glistening. God, life was so _unfair_! Finally, _finally_, Skulduggery had told her he cared about her; he'd admitted it and agreed to give a relationship with her a shot. At last, things seemed to be going somewhere, to be moving forward and getting better. And then something came along and ruined it all, again! Skulduggery was laid in a hospital bed, being monitored by a monster, with the threat of death hanging over his head, and this time it might be permanent! She felt herself losing the plot as her grief and anger twisted around inside her, coiling like blazing fire in her stomach, searing every nerve ending. She was so upset, so enraged, that it actually hurt her, and the pain lashed at her like an incessant whip, splitting her sanity into strips.

She stopped crying abruptly and got to her feet, feeling more energy build inside her. She snapped her fingers, feeling the friction. The sparks flashed in her fingertips and she curled them into a flame. The flame extended up her arm, engulfing her entire body. She had no idea how she was doing it, but she raised her arms and a jet of red hot flame shot upwards, straight for the ceiling, blasting chunks of plaster and brickwork loose. They fell like huge lumps of snow, crumbling on the hard wooden floor with a deafening noise. The fire died out, though the heat remained, and Valkyrie was left completely unharmed, not a singe in sight. Except she wasn't sure if it was _just_ her. She could feel that familiar, loathsome presence in her mind.

_Let me out,_ Darquesse whispered to her. _I can get rid of all that energy; it's still inside you. I can feel it, fighting to get out. Let me use it and I can end this. I can end it all._

"Get lost," Valkyrie growled aloud, forcing Darquesse back. She wasn't in the mood for the mind games. She just wanted to smash something.

oO0Oo

China found Valkyrie stood amidst a pile of charred rubble and what looked to be the contents of a mangled punch bag. She'd been crying; tears dried on her cheeks and neck, settling in the hollow at the base of her throat. She was just stood there, fists clenched, watching a patch of wall, head tilted slightly. The gesture was familiar; China recognised it immediately as one of Skulduggery's favourite little quirks. Valkyrie was becoming more and more like him every day. And so was her anger.

China stepped gingerly over the rubbish, and reached Valkyrie's intense, statuesque form, just as the girl spoke.

"Get lost," she growled, and China inhaled sharply. She surprised herself by blinking back tears at the vicious comment. China Sorrows never cried.

"I didn't mean to disturb you," she said, and turned to go. Valkyrie whirled and lunged at her, driving her to the ground, one hand at her throat. China saw darkness in eyes that were usually alive with light. She saw Darquesse.

And then Darquesse blinked and Valkyrie was back. She retreated, and offered a hand to tug China to her feet. China accepted, noting how strong Valkyrie had become over the years, when standing required minimal effort on her part; Val did all the work.

"I wasn't talking to you," the dark haired girl said.

"Then who were you talking to?"

"_Her_. Darquesse. She's in my head, and she won't leave. I want her gone, China, she's ruining my life." She paused. "I didn't mean to attack you just then; I'm on edge. I'm sorry."

"Think nothing of it, Valkyrie. I'm unharmed; you could've done much worse to me, I'm quite certain." She smiled. "I know you've been taught some dirty fighting."

"I've been taught lots of dirty fighting. I only use it when I need to." She sounded so tired. A twenty-year-old woman shouldn't be sounding tired. To an experienced mage she was still practically a _toddler_.

"Valkyrie, are you alright?" Haunted brown eyes turned on her.

"Do you have to ask?"

"Yes."

"China, I have a maniac in my brain, I'm destined to destroy the world, I keep beating up my friends, I've killed people, my reflection is developing its own personality, I hardly see my family, and just when I finally let Skulduggery know how I feel, Tanith's sister comes along and almost kills him. No, I'm not alright. I'm tired of dealing with so much. I should be at university, with people my age, studying whatever it is they go to study. I should be normal."

"There's no use saying what you should have done and who you should have been. What matters is who you are now. You're Valkyrie Cain, not Darquesse. Not yet. And Skulduggery will be fine, he always is."

"How can you say that? How can you be so sure?"

"That man is practically indestructible. He's been through every pain imaginable, and he's still here. He's had his soul removed from his body and rejoined several times, he's been thrown off buildings, burned, drowned, beaten up, dismembered, shot, stabbed, tortured...There's just too much to list, and he's still here. And now he has you on his arm, he has more reason than ever to fight for his life. He won't leave you."

"I wish I could be as sure as you."

"I've known Skulduggery for a very long time, Valkyrie. If there's one thing he will never do, it's leave the ones he loves. And he loves _you_."

China stayed talking to Valkyrie for a while longer, encouraging her to go find Tanith.

"She's getting bored, and Tanith is very irritating when she has nothing to do. Please, do everyone a favour and go see her, Valkyrie." Valkyrie nodded, picked up her jacket, and left the room, ignoring the carnage she'd caused.

oO0Oo

"Miss Cain," Nye called as she headed for the mud room, where Tanith was still being forced to relax. Valkyrie turned reluctantly.

"Yes?"

"Detective Pleasant is awake. He is asking for you." Nye waited; no sneering or insulting her. It just stood. Something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"It would appear that the magic animating his body is ebbing away."

"You mean he's dying?" Valkyrie's heart jumped into her throat, constricting her airway.

"All I can do is make him rest and hope it works; he is conscious now, and the energy inside him is constant for the moment. The momentary rest seems to have done him good. Perhaps rest is all he needs."

"Thank you, Nye." Its eyes widened, bulging more than usual. It looked uncertain, so its reply came slower than expected.

"...You're welcome, Miss Cain."

Skulduggery looked up as she entered; a thin wire was wrapped around the bones of his hands, pulsing regularly with white light.

"What's that?" she asked as he held his arms open. She hopped onto the bed beside him and nestled into his embrace, breathing in his scent. He smelled like fresh soap powder and jasmine flowers.

"It's called a Light Wire; Nye said it measures the magic sustaining my body. Apparently Nye created in case it ever had to treat me." His head cocked to the side. "I don't know whether to be flattered that it went to the trouble or worried that it was expecting me."

"Go with flattered; it's a friendlier emotion."

"Speaking of friendly, you're not looking too happy."

"Skulduggery, I finally get to be with you, and you go and collapse on me. What on earth do I have to be happy about?"

"That the amazing, dashing, suave, sophisticated, debonair, witty, funny..."

"Are you finished?"

"Handsome, stylish, brilliant skeleton you love is now also your boyfriend." He brushed his teeth against her cheek, and she turned to snag a kiss from him.

"You really love your ego, don't you?"

"Of course, it's like having my own little dog to pet. Every time I compliment myself, it starts wagging its tail."

"You are so weird."

"I prefer the term 'visionary'."

"Whatever; you're still weird," she teased, smiling, but it faded quickly, replaced by worry.

"I love you," he murmured into her ear. "And if you think I'm going to die then I'm afraid you'll be thoroughly disappointed. I'm sick of dying. I won't do it anymore; it's getting boring."

"I love you too. And you'd better not die; I've only just got you to admit how completely enthralled by me you are," she joked. His teeth nipped her neck, and she shivered gently. He chuckled and his arms tightened round her.

"I could get used to this," he told her, and she could feel the warmth of his smile, hear it in his voice, even if she couldn't see it. "I like being close to you; it makes me feel wanted."

"Why shouldn't you feel wanted?" She turned her head to look at him, and he pressed his teeth gently against her lips, making her smile.

"Because by this stage, people are usually bored by me. They've gotten over the fact that I'm a skeleton and that I'm not particularly useful to them. Not to mention, I probably scare them," he said, pulling away a little, but keeping a tight hold on her.

"You don't scare me."

"Yes, well, you weren't exactly bright enough to fear for your own safety as a teenager. You were so eager to walk into danger that you threatened my hat," he teased.

"I wasn't just eager to 'walk into danger'," she mimicked. "I wanted to walk into it with _you_. You were the most incredible person I'd ever met. You still are, even with the bad things that have happened and with Vile hiding inside here somewhere." She tapped his skull. "You're my best friend, and you still will be even if this thing we have here doesn't work out."

"Well, yes, I am incredible in so many ways...But you have to understand that I can't give you children. I can't even be sure that I could give you a physical relationship of _any _sort. This might be my limit."

"I don't think so," Valkyrie grinned, trailing a finger over that glowing light, watching it pulse beautifully, like an all-encompassing halo. He inhaled quickly, a shiver rolling down his spine, and the Light Wire pulsed faster, almost like a heart beat.

"Okay...maybe I'm not completely immune to pleasure. But I do lack certain parts that other people, Fletcher, for example, don't."

"It's not all about sex, Skulduggery. I do think of other things."

"If you get bored, Valkyrie, you'll tell me, won't you? Not to insult you, or doubt you, but you weren't particularly faithful to Fletcher once Caelan arrived."

"Hey, I learned my lesson. I won't be cheating again, ever. And I'm not going to get bored of you Skulduggery, whether you can be with me properly, or just emotionally. I care about you too much."

oO0Oo

Under Nye's instruction, Skulduggery slipped into a meditative state, his arms still round Valkyrie, skull resting against the top of her head. She stopped focussing on the lights and they faded away to a faint glow in the corner of her eye, soothing and peaceful. She felt her eyelids growing heavier, and soon she was asleep, curled up in his embrace, smiling gently to herself.

oO0Oo

Tanith was out of the mud at last, and hobbling round in a thick white dressing gown, the faded bruises and healed cuts still aching. Ghastly was gentle with her as he planted tender kisses along her jaw and throat.

"It's good to see you in one piece," he said.

"I hate to admit it, but Nye did an excellent job."

"Yes, it did. I had my doubts about it, but there really is no other match for Kenspeckle."

"Me too, but it seems to have settled in okay. It's not causing trouble. For now, it's doing its job."

"True." He moved from her jaw, to her forehead, and then gently kissed her lips.

"Where's Val?" she asked when they separated. "I want to hear details about Skulduggery."

"She's with him in the Infirmary."

"What's she in the Infirmary for?" Alarm flashed across her face.

"Not her, _him_. Something's wrong with Skulduggery; Nye ordered him to rest for a while. He and Valkyrie are asleep now."

"What happened to him?"

"He collapsed." Tanith felt her mouth drop open.

"Collapsed? _Skul_? Has he ever actually done that before?"

"He's fallen over before, but no, he's never spontaneously blacked out."

"I take it that's not good?"

"Not at all; Nye has no idea how to treat him. The only thing it can do is monitor the magic in his bones."

"And how the heck does it plan to do that? Last I heard, Skulduggery was the only walking, talking skeleton around; it's not like there's a regular treatment for him or anything."

"Nye made something it calls a Light Wire. It pulses with white light, like a heart monitor, when magic runs through it. If the pulses become erratic, it means that Skulduggery's magic is ebbing away."

"That was a word for word explanation wasn't it?"

"Yes it was."

"I take it you asked lots of questions?"

"Yes I did; I will not leave my best friend alone with that thing, not without knowing what it's doing."

"Well, he's not alone. And Valkyrie's more than capable of dealing with Doctor Nye if it decides to be untoward. She's kicked its arse before, and she's a lot stronger now than she was then."

"I know, I know."

"Ghastly, he'll be okay," Tanith said, and she kissed him, locking her hands behind his bald, scarred head. He kissed her back, hands resting lightly on her waist. She traced the contours of his powerful shoulders, eyes closed, before pulling him close for a hug. She loved his hugs; he held her so tight, tighter than any of her other boyfriends. He was different to anybody she'd fallen for in the past. He wasn't a bad boy; Ghastly was safe, and kind, and gentle, and everything Tanith had never had but desperately needed. She felt his heart thumping in his chest, right next to her ear, and the sound fast became the most important thing in her world. She forgot the aches, and the pains, and the memory of seeing someone who looked like Valkyrie, spoke like her, even _walked_ like her, but was not her, beat the living crap out of her own friends.

After a while of silence, Tanith shook herself out of her blissful delirium and took Ghastly's hands in hers.

"How long did Nye say Skulduggery had to rest?" she asked.

"A couple of days, to be safe. When I left, Skulduggery's magic was spiking a lot, but Nye hasn't come to find me, so I'm guessing it's levelled out."

"Nye told me to rest for a couple of days too, and it gave me some more of that healing rock to soak in, which was a bonus."

"You already have a huge stash of it though," Ghastly said, raising his eyebrows.

"What can I say? I get into a lot of trouble." She looked up at her man.

"I get really bored, really quickly. Can you say it'll definitely only be a few days?" she asked him.

"Skulduggery's tough; it shouldn't be more than that, a week at most, perhaps."

"And then we go hunt down my sister?"

"Yes. Then we find Wistful."

"I can't wait to punch her," Tanith grinned.


	6. Dying Again

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 6...**_

_**Hey everybody, sixth chapter is up and ready to read! (: The reviews are really helping my confidence, such a response is incredible! Thank you to all you beautiful readers! And thanks to Darkclarkson for all the ideas and the morale boosting! Yapyap is an amazing writer, Dragongirl787 deserves a mention just because she's awesome, and MissAriannaDark is also pretty cool! Seriously, add these guys as favourites, they're great! :D All characters in these books belong to Derek Landy...well, except Wistful; she's all mine! (: Enjoy!**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie was nestled against Skulduggery, snoring gently. Tanith grinned when she saw her friend, and moved to sit in a chair beside the hospital gurney. The Infirmary was quiet, and Skulduggery was gently stroking Val's hair with one bony hand, wrapped in a pulsing wire; that must've been the Light Wire Ghastly mentioned. His other hand was in her grip, their fingers twined. Even though he seemed blissfully happy and very comfortable where he was, Tanith saw his head sag a little every so often. The white light in Nye's creation flashed erratically, sometimes dim, sometimes blinding. His magic was spiking again.

"Hey, Skul," Tanith said. His head straightened up a little, like he'd only just become aware of her presence.

"Tanith, you're looking better." His smooth, velvet voice was faint, almost subdued.

"Yeah, feel it too. You're not sounding too good."

"I don't feel great," he admitted.

"Ghastly said your magic keeps spiking?"

"Damned if I know," he answered. "Nye doesn't tell me anything. It just shines a torch into my skull every so often and wanders off."

"What did it say you had to do to improve?"

"Rest, mostly. It's very boring." He cocked his head, a smile in his voice. "Or it was until Valkyrie admitted her feelings to me."

"Yeah, about that. Why the Hell didn't you tell her how you felt?"

"I'm a skeleton."

"What does that have to do with _anything_?"

"I can't give her the kind of relationship she wants. I never knew she'd even _want_ me." Tanith rolled her eyes, a coy smile on her lips.

"There is such a thing as _giving_, Skul. You can still make her happy."

"I never thought of it like that, actually."

"Well now you _can_ think of it, and you can remember that it was _my_ incredible advice that helped you out."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie shifted in her sleep, and Skulduggery automatically shifted with her, making sure she was comfortable. She smiled gently, eyes closed, breathing peacefully. She looked beautiful when she slept; all the stress disappeared from her face, and she was just another regular girl.

"She doesn't have a clue how pretty she is," he mused aloud.

"Who, Valkyrie?"

"No, I was talking about Nye. Of _course_ Valkyrie."

"Oh, _ha_. That's so funny, not. But you're right. Val's a real beauty, though maybe it's good that she doesn't know that."

"It is?"

"Of course; it makes her humble. She'll count herself lucky to have someone like you, Skul, because she doesn't think she's good enough for anyone. If she knew just how pretty she was, she'd expect everyone to love her, just like China does."

"Who are you and what have you done with Tanith Low?" Skulduggery teased. "It's not like you to be so wise; that's my job."

"Well, in between kicking ass and saving the world, I have my moments."

Skulduggery felt his magic seep away again, and struggled to focus, his head dipping a little. Tanith snapped her fingers in front of his face, trying to grab his attention; it worked, and his head lifted a fraction.

"This," he muttered, "is becoming a real problem. What's wrong with me?"

"Don't ask me; I'm not the doctor here."

"No, _I_ am," Nye said, entering the Infirmary on its ridiculously thin legs. "Your magic is very low, Detective Pleasant," it said, striding over and tapping the Light Wire.

"Yes, I know that. For some reason, you still haven't told me _why_, Doctor Nye."

"I don't know why, but I would appreciate your patience at the moment."

"I never had patience for most people."

"But I am not a person. And I am trying to save your life." Skulduggery stiffened.

"You just said you're trying to save my life. You think I'm dying?"

"Yes."

"What? _Again_?" Tanith was amazed; Skulduggery had died three times already. Was the fourth time to be his last? For the most part, he remained speechless. Valkyrie opened her eyes.

"Tell me I didn't just hear that," she said, looking from Skulduggery, to Tanith, to Nye and back. When nobody answered her, tears filled her eyes. "Skulduggery..." The Light Wire lost every trace of its iridescent glow for a few seconds, and Valkyrie's eyes widened. Losing him was something she knew she wouldn't live through, not again.

"I would hug you, but I don't actually have the energy to move anymore," he said, his voice echoing a strange, hollow quality. Valkyrie's tears spilled over. Skulduggery couldn't wipe them away; he felt so heavy, but he didn't have to move much to kiss her. She automatically cocked her head to the side, her lips pressing gently against the place where his should have been. She held him so delicately, as though he was a fragile glass figurine, and too much pressure would shatter his bones. Oh, he _loved_ her, so much it frightened him, the unshakable Skeleton Detective. He absolutely refused to leave her.

"Not to interrupt this sickeningly heartfelt moment," Nye said, scratching the scab on its face, "but I believe I have a way to keep you conscious, possibly even to fix you."

"You do?" Valkyrie and Tanith asked immediately, speaking in tandem.

"Yes. If you had let me explain before any crying, you would have known this sooner." They waited. Skulduggery cocked his head.

"Well? What is it?"

"I am going to electrocute you."

"And how on earth would that help me? Electricity doesn't affect me and I have no heart to shock."

"It's not your heart I plan to restart, and I am going to be using magic, Detective Pleasant. Not electricity."

"Not to be pedantic, but how exactly do you plan to _shock_ me with _magic_?" he asked doubtfully.

"I need a powerful mage to supply the magic, and I need these," it said, removing two bracelets from its pocket, one deep black, the other coppery red, the colour of blood. "All those times I disappeared, I was researching and improving one of the old surgeon's ideas."

"You mean Kenspeckle?"

"Yes. He had quite an ingenious idea; he believed he could provide sustained magical input for a dying mage, using donations from another, or various other mages. The only problem was how to manifest said donations and transfer them."

"And that's what the bracelets are for? To manifest the magic?" Tanith asked.

"Yes. The wearer of one shall bestow a certain amount of their magic into the first bracelet. The wearer of the second shall receive and put to use the magic transferred from the first. The more powerful the afflicted mage, the larger the amount of magic that needs to be donated." It was looking at Valkyrie.

"You want me to transfer my magic." It wasn't a question, and she was fully willing to do so.

"Yes; Skulduggery is not only a very powerful elemental, but his entire being, his life, is sustained only by magic. He requires a particularly large dose from a very powerful mage. You, being the one to destroy the world, may be the only one that can sustain him."

"How do I do it?" she asked immediately.

"You simply put this on," it said, handing her the red bracelet, "and it will do the rest, as soon as Detective Pleasant wears this one."

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your chat, but when do _I_ get a say in this?" Skulduggery asked, trying his best to ignore the erratic flashing of the wires around his hands, unable to escape the worry; he didn't want to die. His previous experiences of death hadn't made the idea any more attractive.

"What is there to talk about?" Tanith asked. "Nye made a pretty good case just then."

"What exactly will this do to Valkyrie?"

"Her magic will be weakened for a few hours, but her body will become used to it and return to normal, theoretically."

"Theoretically? You haven't tested them yet?"

"No time like the present," Valkyrie said. "I'm strong enough, Skulduggery. I'm Darquesse, remember. And you have no choice."

"Says who?"

"Me," Valkyrie said. He looked at her for a long time, before sighing.

"...Alright, alright," he conceded. "Every iota of intelligence I ever possessed probably just fell out of my eye sockets as I made this decision, but it's worth a shot I suppose."

Valkyrie jumped up and snapped the red, chain-link bracelet around her wrist, watching as it glowed a brilliant crimson. She felt her magic seep away from her; it reminded her of being fifteen again, and taking her first steps into serious magical training. Her powers became primitive, virtually undeveloped, but she kept her face impassive; hiding the sense of alarm she felt.

"It worked," she said, and Nye moved towards Skulduggery.

"This will feel strange for you both," it said, and clicked the black bracelet closed around Skulduggery's wrist bone. The skeleton sat up like he'd been hit by lightning, and Valkyrie gasped.

"Wow," she muttered, unable to see the room any longer; brilliant flashes of sapphire, crimson, aqua, ivory, buttercup yellow, fluorescent orange, amethyst, emerald, and every other colour known to man sparked in front of her eyes, obscuring everything and everyone else. She felt herself stagger a little, and Tanith's hand on the small of her back kept her steady.

It faded after a moment, and though she could feel her magic, just out of reach, physically she felt absolutely fine. She was a little lightheaded, but she could deal. Skulduggery cocked his head.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, concern layering his voice.

"I'm fine, really," she grinned, ignoring the dizziness. "You?"

"Well...actually I feel fantastic." He slipped gracefully off the gurney and stood on his own two feet.

"Good," Valkyrie walked over and kissed his jaw gently. She was surprised to see that his consciousness still floated around him, now much brighter than before; the colours were so vivid, it was beautiful to look at. She hadn't expected herself to still be able to see it.

"Detective Pleasant, you are free to leave now, but you must still rest; no fighting, punching, kicking, running, saving the world, or magic. For the remainder of the day, I would advise you to relax." Nye looked at the dark haired girl before it. "You too, Miss Cain."

"We can go? It's really that easy?"

"Yes." It turned to leave, but spoke over its shoulder as it disappeared. "If anything goes wrong you must come straight back. Not that it will go wrong; I am far too clever to make mistakes."

"Is it me, or does everyone around here have an ego so big it possesses its own gravitational pull?" Valkyrie muttered. Tanith and Skulduggery looked at each other, and then back at her.

"It's just you," they said together.

oO0Oo

Tanith disappeared to find Ghastly, leaving Skulduggery and Valkyrie alone again.

"So we're not allowed to use magic for the day," she said.

"Nope."

"And we're not allowed to do any running."

"Nope."

"And we can't beat anyone up."

"Nope."

"What can we do then?"

"That's a good question. Nye said we could go and find somewhere to rest." Skulduggery held his fingers out to her, revelling in the sensation of her hand in his.

"Do you still have those old cheesy horror films back at yours?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Can we go watch them?" She felt the warmth of his smile.

"That sounds perfect."

Together, they headed out towards the Bentley. It gleamed in the evening light, a big, predatory black jungle cat, stalking the streets of Roarhaven. Skulduggery gunned the engine and slid smoothly away from the dirty little town, away from the stagnant lake and the straggly trees, towards his home and his first quiet night in, in perhaps the last hundred years. He was looking forward to it.

They reached Cemetery Road soon enough, and Valkyrie leaned over in her seat to kiss him, before unclipping her seatbelt and heading towards Skulduggery's front door. She fished the key out from under the eaves and slid it home, letting the door swing open behind her for the skeleton. She realised, after he'd closed the door behind him, that she was alone with him, in his house, with no interruptions. Her smile hurt her cheeks.

oO0Oo

Skulduggery reclined across his sofa, Valkyrie laid settled on his chest, while the old horror played away on his television. He watched her as she laughed at the cheesy gore and the spouts of fake blood, splashing the movie set on the screen. The cheesy, low budget zombies wailed pitifully as they lumbered after screaming women.

The movie didn't interest him; it was her reactions that had him captivated. Every little frown, every smile, every laugh, every twitch of her lips, every raise of her eyebrows had him wondering what she was thinking. Her face was the only thing in the house that held any interest for him. Every time he saw her, it was like he was seeing her in an entirely new light; long eyelashes brushed creamy cheeks when she blinked, casting shadows on the smooth, unblemished skin. Dark hair shone in the faint light of the lamp, tousled and loose around her shoulders. Her heart shaped lips were soft and full, and incredibly kissable. But her eyes,_ damn_, they got him right to his core_ every single time_; big and smouldering brown, with a depth in them that stretched so far, it felt like he could see her soul in there. An intelligence, a bright light always sparkled in those chocolate pools, a wisdom far beyond her years. But she was haunted too; Darquesse and the world of magic had robbed her of her childhood, and she'd become an adult by the time she was fifteen. Tanith had helped keep Valkyrie's fun side alive, and Skulduggery relished the sight of them laughing together. Valkyrie's laugh was his favourite song. He didn't need music.

The film finished and Valkyrie turned onto her side, her back to the TV, so she could see him.

"That film gets funnier every time I watch it," she beamed. "What do you think the actors would do if they knew zombies did actually exist?"

"Cry, most likely." Skulduggery chuckled. "Why do you watch that rubbish?"

"It's _hilarious_."

"It's a low budget zombie film with rubber guts and fake blood." Valkyrie giggled at his comment.

"Yeah, it looked like ketchup," she sniggered.

"You are easily amused," he told her.

"And you love me anyway."

"Yes, I do," he agreed, and suddenly she was kissing him. It started off innocently enough, but soon it felt like the room was charged with electricity. Valkyrie pulled back to speak, relishing the sensation of his hands resting on her hips

"I want you, Skulduggery," she whispered, looking right into his big, empty sockets.

"You're not the only one," he murmured back. "I want me too."

"You are _unbelievable_," she scowled playfully, swatting at him. He silenced her laughter with a kiss, and she clung tightly to him. He chuckled against her lips, and his teeth moved to nip gently at her neck. She gasped in surprise, and he raised his head to look at her.

"What was the gasp for?"

"I wasn't expecting you to bite me."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be; it was great," she grinned. He laughed, voice like liquid gold, and her insides quivered. Even his _voice_ got her; he was incredible, and he was all hers.

"I must warn you," he said. "It's early days for us, and I haven't been with anyone like this for a long time."

"You're doing alright so far," she said, squirming as his right hand slid down to her thigh.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"How many times do I have to say it? _Yes_, Skulduggery, this is what I want. I want _you_."

"I know that, I just wanted to hear you say it again," he chuckled, and she sighed. "What's wrong?"

"I want you to want me too...if...if you _can_ want me."

"I do, believe me."

"Then how does this work for you?"

"You tell me." She bit her lip, thinking, and a smile lit up her eyes as she had an idea. She put her hands on his chest, no, on his _soul_, right where his heart should be, and a breath he didn't need to take caught in his throat that didn't exist.

"How about that?"

"How are you _doing_ that?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice even as her fingers traced idle patterns across his ribcage. She parted his shirt and kissed each smooth bone, her lips leaving a lingering sensation behind.

"I'm just good with my hands," she winked.

"That," he said, "was _shocking_. You know I'm going to ask you to prove it now, don't you?"

"That was why I said it," she answered, and got off the sofa, holding out her hand. He cocked his head to the side, uncertain of what she was doing, but allowed her to direct him, towing him along. He realised she was leading him to the stairs, to the bed he'd bought for her when she needed to sleep, but wasn't going home. If he'd had a heart, right then, it would've been hammering against his ribs, trying to break its way out. She tugged him across the landing, into the room with that big, soft bed, and shut the door with a soft click.

oO0Oo

"Sometimes I fear you're corrupting my magnificent mind, you know," Skulduggery murmured, cheekbone resting gently against the top of her head. Her hair was mussed, her shoulders bare, the bed sheets wrapped around her curving form. She was laid on his chest, tracing pictures on his ribs again, and she was grinning. She looked _edible_.

"Me? Corrupting _you_? Shouldn't it be the other way round?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nonsense; you were already corrupted when I found you. Your bad influence has rubbed off on me."

"In more ways than one, apparently," she grinned, cheeks blushing beautifully. "I thought you said it'd been a while for you."

"It has."

"Are you sure?"

"Does that mean you're pleased with me?" he chuckled. He couldn't give himself to her completely, seeing as how he lacked the right organs, but he'd certainly seemed to make her _very_ happy. And the way she'd whispered his _name_...

"You have no idea," she said, stretching and settling more comfortably beside him.

"And there was me thinking this might be the one thing I'm no longer good at," he chuckled. "But apparently not; it seems I'm still amazing at everything." The curve of her hip beneath the sheets was mesmerising; now he'd seen this side of her, Skulduggery sincerely hoped Lord Vile didn't make a bid for Darquesse. He didn't know how he'd let Valkyrie go if that happened.

"And what about me? How did I do?" she asked, almost reluctantly.

"You were certainly right about being good with your hands," he told her, and her smile widened. She sighed happily.

"We _definitely_ have to do that again."

"I have no objections to that." He stroked her hair, his fingers trailing down the length of her back, making her shiver. They spent a few minutes in silence, just enjoying each other's embrace. The only thing either of them still wore were the bracelets; Skulduggery was amazed that he didn't seem to repulse her.

"Damn." Her brow puckered in a frown as she broke the silence.

"What's the matter?"

"Tanith's gonna want to know everything. Do I have permission to tell her or would you rather I stayed quiet?"

"You tell her anything you want; she's your big sister, after all."

"If she asks, I'll tell her. If not, then I won't. But either way, this is happening again." She kissed his jaw again, little butterfly kisses, fluttering against his bones, making it almost impossible to resist her.

"I had no idea it was _possible_ for us to share this, but now we've discovered it is, I don't know how I'm going to let you go," he said, struggling to focus.

"You might not have to; Darquesse might not bother with Vile." Valkyrie frowned; she didn't want this conversation, not after spending such intimate time with Skulduggery. She didn't want to spoil her mood.

"I doubt that."

"Maybe the universe will be nice and things will go right for once," she said hopefully, trying to fool herself back into her fluffy, happy state, and failing miserably.

"Valkyrie, when do things ever go right for us?"

"You are such a _pessimist,_ Skulduggery Pleasant."

oO0Oo

_**Once again, special thanks to Darkclarkson for helping me figure out how to introduce a love scene into this messed up relationship :P Darkclarkson, without your help, I would've hit a wall with this story! Your genius kept it going (: (But make sure your ego doesn't inflate too much...That wouldn't be good... :P ) Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**_


	7. Reflected Feelings Are Dangerous Things

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 7...**_

_**7**__**th**__** chapter! Enjoying myself loads! No idea where this is gonna go, I'm kind of being dragged along in the wake of my imagination :L But you know what? It's worth every single second (: I hope you all think I'm doing Derek Landy proud, he is my favourite author and my inspiration, of course (: Not to mention he owns most of the characters in this story, except Wistful (: That particular sparkle of genius belongs to me :P**_

oO0Oo

Darquesse watched from the back of Valkyrie's mind, enraged, but patient. She'd done it; she'd opened the flood gates and brought Skulduggery and Valkyrie closer. She'd opened the communications between herself and Lord Vile. But Doctor Nye, the awful, frog-like surgeon who'd already failed to protect the girl against Darquesse once, was tapping into her energy stores.

She was furious, fuming quietly in Valkyrie's subconscious, seething with hatred. How dare anybody tap into her reserves? Granted, it was only a small amount of magic they needed, but they could not just take it from her. It didn't belong to them, and they had no power over Darquesse. She repaid them with patience. She could wait; she had done for years already.

And perhaps the magic transfer wasn't as big a setback as she'd originally thought it would be; her communication method with Vile had been much simpler since Nye worked its magic. The shared magic had established an interesting link between Cain and the skeleton, allowing Vile's thoughts to reach her, forming a small but growing tear in Skulduggery's soul, and the magic from Darquesse was strengthening the presence inside Skulduggery, allowing it to force its way through that tiny little rip. Even as she watched, it stretched a little more, and a wisp of darkness marred the hazy orange patch around it. Valkyrie couldn't see this tear, and Pleasant couldn't feel it. They had no idea what was happening, just like Darquesse had planned.

'_It won't be long now,_ she called out to his thoughts. _The Surge is near, and when she settles on Necromancy, I'll take over this body and let you loose on the world. We'll destroy humanity together, one bloody blow at a time'. _Vile laughed appreciatively.

'_I can taste my freedom. And this time, the skeleton cannot take it from me,'_ he whispered.

oO0Oo

Valkyrie sat in one of the many meeting rooms in the Roarhaven Sanctuary, curled up in a chair, knees hugged against her chest. She had a niggling sensation that something was drastically wrong; things were just going _too_ smoothly. Skulduggery was back on his feet and stronger than ever, her magic had returned after her body adjusted, Tanith was all healed and polishing her sword, and Erskine had reported several sightings of Wistful in the last few hours. Things never went right, not like this, not for her. She was worried, edgy, and she felt that Darquesse was planning something. _But what was it?_ She knew she was right, and that if she didn't figure it out soon, something very bad would happen.

Skulduggery tapped her shoulder, commandeering her attention.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but something seems to be bothering you."

"This seems too good to be true, Skulduggery."

"Meaning?"

"Well, you were right. When do things ever go well for us? Something bad always happens, and this feels like the calm before the storm. I think this particular storm is going to be my fault."

"And why would that be?"

"I'm close to the Surge; I think it has something to do with that." Skulduggery sighed and took her hands in his.

"Valkyrie, the Surge happens to everyone. It happened to Ghastly, Tanith, Erskine, even me, albeit a long time ago. It's normal. All you have to do is choose, and I have no wish to sway from the magic that will make you happy."

"Even if I settled on Necromancy?"

"If that's what you want."

"Actually, it's not," Valkyrie said. "It's what Darquesse wants, but I don't know_ why_. Necromancy is no use to her; she has her own power, and it's absolutely incredible. I don't understand why it should matter to her what I choose to settle on."

"The only person it does matter to is you."

"How will I know when to choose?" she asked.

"You'll know, Valkyrie."

"How long will it last?"

"It can be anything from a few seconds to a few hours, depending on the person." He cocked his head. "The Surge is painful; it's when you unlock most of your raw power, Valkyrie. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah, you've told me a dozen times already."

"Valkyrie...Do you remember when Nefarian Serpine used his red right hand on you?"

"Yeah; I still have nightmares about it."

"The Surge is worse."

"And it can last for a few _hours_?" She gulped, suddenly afraid.

"I...I don't mean to scare you but...Well, with you being Darquesse and all, it may even stretch to a day or two."

"_What_? But Serpine pointed and that was it, agonising death! If that was enough to kill a mage, then how the heck am I supposed to live through this?"

"You can do it, Valkyrie. Your body is stronger now, and it's been preparing for the Surge since you first began to learn magic. It's prepared for this." Skulduggery pulled her into a hug, and she wrapped her arms around his thin form, feeling the framework in his clothes, constructed by Ghastly to create the illusion of mass.

oO0Oo

Erskine burst into the room, slamming the doors open, determination etched on his handsome face.

"Grand Mage," China said, surprised. "Whatever is the matter."

"We found her! We've had a call in from one of our agents; Wistful's in Haggard." Valkyrie's stomach dropped and Tanith gasped.

"Val, you need to call Fletcher. Get to Alice. _Now_."

Valkyrie didn't hesitate; Tanith knew Wistful, and Valkyrie trusted her judgement. She dug her phone out of her pocket and dialled in Fletcher's number, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the dial tone sounded. It rang once and Fletcher's voice sounded at the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Fletcher, don't hang up, this is serious." There was silence at the other end of the line for a moment, then, finally...

"...What's wrong?"

"There's somebody in Haggard who's going to hurt Alice. We're at Roarhaven sanctuary."

"I'm on it," he said, and in a second he was beside her. He'd matured a lot in three years; any trace of childish roundness left in his jaw was long gone. It was strong, and square, balancing perfectly with his astonishingly handsome face. His hair was different; still that same soft blonde, but long and flopping over his forehead, rather than carefully messed up. The style suited him. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she grabbed Skulduggery's hand just in time.

They arrived in Valkyrie's old room, and she ignored the sense of nostalgia that threatened to overwhelm her. She turned to Fletcher.

"Thank you," she whispered, and headed straight for the door, listening out for any untoward noises. The reflection was supposed to be babysitting Alice while her parents went out for dinner. The reflection saw Valkyrie parents more than she did, nowadays.

oO0Oo

The reflection was on the sofa, a six year old Alice playing with a plastic tea set at its feet, her back to them. The reflection turned when it saw Skulduggery, Fletcher and Valkyrie, and got to its feet.

"I'll be back in a minute, Al, okay?"

"Okay, Stefnee. I'll make some more tea," she lilted, unable to say Valkyrie's name properly because of the gap in her teeth. Valkyrie smiled and a lump filled her throat. Skulduggery squeezed her shoulder gently. The reflection came towards them, and headed for the kitchen.

"I need you to search the house for me," she instructed.

"Okay," it nodded. "Is Al in danger?"

"_Alice_ is in danger, yes. Stop calling her Al in front of me. Only I call her that."

"Okay."

"Go search the house."

"For what?"

"A woman with a dragon tattooed on her head."

"Okay." The reflection left with no more questions, but Val thought she saw it frown. She shook it off; Wistful was a bigger problem than a malfunctioning reflection.

"Stefneeee! Tea's ready!" Alice called from the living room, and Valkyrie rushed to sit with her little sister. "You didn't need to dress up, silly," she giggled, and Valkyrie remembered her and the reflection were wearing different clothes.

"Course I did, Al. Your tea parties are the best."

"You're back," Alice grinned, her eyes sparkling. Valkyrie blinked, but continued to smile.

"Yeah, I told you I'd only be a minute."

"No no no no, that wasn't _you_," she giggled. "That was the _other_ one, Stefnee. She's nice though. But I miss you, Stephie." She held her arms out for a hug, and Valkyrie held her close, not quite able to believe that her sister could tell the difference between her and the reflection.

"Did this other me tell you she wasn't me?"

"Nope, I guessed. Worked it out all by myself, too," she grinned, and Valkyrie recognised one of her favourite sayings in the sentence. She smiled back, then remembered that Alice knew she wasn't around all the time. Was it possible that Valkyrie's little sister was magic too?

oO0Oo

A crash from upstairs made Valkyrie inhale sharply. She looked to the doorway to see Skulduggery heading towards the sound, his beloved gun drawn before him.

"What was that?"

"Al, I need you to be really brave for me, okay?" The little girl nodded, and Valkyrie felt like she was staring at a much younger version of herself. "There's somebody upstairs that I have to keep you away from. It's a nasty lady with a picture on her face; if she comes near you, I need you to run away from her. You understand, Al?"

"Yeah Stephie. Nasty woman, picture on her face, run away, got it." She gave Valkyrie the thumbs up and smiled. Tears welled up in Valkyrie's eyes, just as the reflection and Skulduggery tumbled down the stars, limbs entangled. The reflection was up before Skulduggery, and came into the living room, holding its arms out to Alice.

"I need you to come with me, Al," it said. Alice hugged Valkyrie's leg.

"I want to stay with Stephie. She's not here much."

"Al, please," it begged. Valkyrie frowned and squared up to her mirror image.

"She said no, and to you her name is _Alice_. She's _my_ sister, not yours. You're a reflection, here to fill in for me when I'm not around. That doesn't make this your life, and they aren't your family. They're _mine_."

Skulduggery turned, brushing himself down, and walked into the living room.

"Whoa! A skellington! _Cool_!" Alice gasped, grinning.

"I hate to break up your little stand off, but we have company. And she's hungry." Skulduggery was slammed into the ground, face first, by Wistful's boot. The reflection launched itself at Wistful, throwing a bone crushing punch into her already swollen nose. Wistful snarled and snapped the reflection's neck, and for the second time in her life, Valkyrie saw her own dead body hit the ground.

She cursed and Fletcher appeared beside her.

"Give Alice to me," he said. "I'll teleport her to Ghastly and Erskine; she can play with Aurora. She'll be safe."

"Fletcher, she's too young. She shouldn't be seeing this, not so early! She should be playing with her tea set and her big sister while her parents go out for the evening!"

"Be hysterical later, Valkyrie. Right now, her life is in danger."

"I want to go with him! Pleeeaaaase Stephie! Pleeeaaaaassseee? I want to teleport!" Valkyrie kissed her sister's rosy cheek and handed her over.

"Fletcher, I'm sorry, about everything. Please, keep her safe."

"I'll be right back," he said, and he disappeared with the person she adored most in the world.

Valkyrie slammed a fist of shadows into Wistful, knocking her back, feeling brave. Her anger fuelled her, and it was all her own. Darquesse would not be involved in this. Her boot hit Wistful's thigh and the woman staggered, snarling.

A knife of darkness pierced Valkyrie's shoulder and Skulduggery cursed, turning to see what was happening. More shadows sliced at Valkyrie, cutting her deep. She gagged on her own blood as one slashed her cheek open. Melancholia walked into the hallway, scars mottling her entire body, some ruined, unrecognisable symbols, others still intact. She smiled.

"Good to see you again, Valkyrie Cain." Valkyrie swallowed her own blood, not wanting to spit it out and stain the carpet; so far the only damage was a broken vase. That had been the source of the crash earlier, and she didn't want to add to that. She pushed herself to her feet, ignoring her wounds, and called on her elemental powers. Instead of moving to fight Melancholia, she tried to take it outside, heading for the back door.

She leapt high and planted her foot on a solid block of air, pushing to jump over Melancholia, tucking herself up to avoid scraping the ceiling. She got in a quick kick to the side of her old enemy's head, before hitting the ground and coming up in a roll. She bolted for the back door as Skulduggery smacked Wistful and ran for the stairs.

Melancholia glided after Valkyrie, carried by shadows, her feet an inch above the ground.

"I saw the mess you made of Dublin, Valkyrie," she called as Val vaulted the fence behind her house and ran on into the fields behind, drawing her away from people before anybody got hurt. The necromancer followed without hesitation.

"Come on, Melancholia. We settled this years ago; why now? What do you want?"

"I needed time to regain control of my magic; the symbols you and your skeleton friend destroyed took a while for me to adjust to, but I managed. And now I'm back. And I want to kill you for stealing my destiny."

"What the _Hell_ are you talking about?"

"You're Darquesse, the one to destroy the world. Your friend is Lord Vile, the last Death Bringer. I want to eliminate you both and reclaim my title. It was _my_ right, and you stole it from me."

"Oh, for God's sake! I don't have time for this," Valkyrie muttered, and grabbed a rock off the ground. Quick as a flash, she used the air to suspend the jagged shard between her palms, and forced her hands together. Melancholia wasn't expecting such a simple attach, so when the rock slammed into her chest, she staggered with a startled gasp.

"Uh oh," Valkyrie grinned. "Somebody's a little rusty." And she ran forwards, slipping the necromancy ring in her pocket onto her finger. Dark energy filled her lungs, and she felt Darquesse breathe a sigh of contentment, drinking in the power.

The strangest thing happened; Darquesse spoke to her in an almost pleading voice. It made a change from the usual, venomous whisper.

'_I can help,'_ she whispered. _'I don't need you dead; let me help. Let me deal with her.'_

'_No way,'_ Valkyrie growled back in her head. She raised her right hand and a wave of shadows engulfed Melancholia, allowing Valkyrie to get close enough to throw a volley of knees and elbows into her ribs. She didn't relent; she wouldn't allow her enemy even a second to recover. A right hook to Melancholia's jaw sent her reeling, and Valkyrie followed, chopping at the tendons in her knees. The scarred girl stumbled. Valkyrie twisted and Melancholia flipped, landing painfully on her back. Pinned, the scarred girl was hopeless against Valkyrie's onslaught. As her forehead smashed into Melancholia's face, Valkyrie saw stars. Her opponent was unconscious.

Valkyrie sat back for a second, breathing heavily, before getting to her feet. Wistful was running at her; she could hear the light footfalls in the grass, and Skulduggery's smooth sprint just behind her. Wistful yelled and Valkyrie spun, arm out, reinforced with darkness, her forearm catching Wistful's throat. The woman's feet jerked off the ground and she landed on her back, spluttering.

"You're bleeding." Skulduggery said, cracking the butt of his gun down on the side of Wistful's head. She fell silent and still, breathing evenly. The skeleton snapped shackles around her wrists. Valkyrie surveyed the deep gashes, the sting finally catching up with her, and spat blood into the dirt.

"Nice observation," she answered.

"Valkyrie, those are some deep cuts."

"I know, I can feel them."

"You should probably get Nye to check them out. _Before_ you go see Alice."

"Okay." Valkyrie was numb; two enemies had gone to her parents home to kill her sister and then her. And her sister knew about magic.

"Shit," she spat, and booted a rock into the fading evening light. "Absolute bull. These things are supposed to stay away from my home. This my _home_. And they think they can just come here whenever they want something from me?" She sat in the grass; if she stayed standing she'd end up kicking Melancholia in the head. More than once. Skulduggery sat down with her, not touching her, but close enough for comfort.

"Valkyrie, the world of magic isn't a nice place; you know that. People get hurt. We're just lucky they didn't damage any of the house."

"Who cares about the _house_? They almost killed my sister."

"Yes, well, that can't be helped now, can it? Alice is safe, the house is in one piece, Wistful is in handcuffs and Melancholia is...well, Melancholia."

"She's a crazy, power tripping _bitch_."

"Language," Skulduggery tutted. "What do you mean 'power tripping'?"

"She thinks we stole her precious title. She wants us dead so she can be the Death Bringer again."

"We _did_ steal her title. I was the last Death Bringer and you're set to destroy the planet. If that's not upstaging her, then I don't know what is."

"I don't care; I half wish I'd let Vile kill her in those caves."

"No, you don't." Valkyrie sagged.

"You're right, I don't. If I had to, I'd save her life all over again. Because I'm an idiot."

"Because you're a good person," Skulduggery corrected.

"Because I'm an idiot."

"That too."

Melancholia sat up and shadows blasted Skulduggery away from Valkyrie, throwing him into the grass. Valkyrie growled and shot to her feet in one lithe movement.

"I hate you," she spat.

"The feeling is mutual, believe me." Melancholia brushed herself down and the shadows helped her to her feet, her wounds healing rapidly. "Now be a good girl and stay still so I can kill you."

"Oh no, not this time. You come to my house," Valkyrie said, taking a step towards her. Darquesse reared her head in Valkyrie's mind, grinning wickedly. "You try to harm my sister." She took another step and Darquesse whispered to Valkyrie.

'_Let me out.'_

"You try to kill my friends."

'_Let me fuse with you. We can kill her together.'_

"You murder my reflection." Valkyrie continued to advance, and Melancholia actually took a step back. "You break the vase that _I_ bought for _my_ mother on her _birthday_."

'_Yes,'_ Darquesse whispered as Valkyrie conceded, allowing her alter ego to occupy the remaining space in her mind. She shuddered as they joined, and Darquesse smiled, straightening up. They became the same person. She was still Valkyrie, with a conscience and a family and a love for Skulduggery that matched no other. But she was Darquesse too; confident, insanely powerful, and her mean streak was a mile wide.

"And then you expect the greatest danger the world has ever known to just stand still. How stupid could you be?" Valkyrie clenched her fist and Melancholia was lifted from the ground. _I could get used to this,_ Valkyrie thought, and the other half of her, the evil half that no longer existed separately, smiled.


	8. Losing Your Head

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 8...**_

_**Once again would like to thank everyone for all the amazing reviews! Seeing my own stuff out there for all to read is so weird! :'D I want to thank Dragongirl787 again! Your criticism was my first piece of constructive feedback, thanks for the tip and I'll be sure to keep it in mind! This is becoming the most successful thing I've ever written! All characters so far, except Wistful, belong to the awesomeness that manifests itself as the magnificent Derek Landy! Enjoy!**_

oO0Oo

Melancholia gagged, kicking uselessly, but Valkyrie's grip on the woman didn't relent. She could feel the delicate structure of the trachea beneath her fingers, the racing pulse against her palm, and she could see the fear in her eyes. Valkyrie smiled.

"She's...she's there...Darquesse...she's in you...again," the scarred girl panted.

"She's not _in_ me, she _is_ me. I'm Darquesse, but I'm Valkyrie Cain, too. We're the same person now."

"Valkyrie...Cain...would be...too afraid...too naive...to end my...life."

"Hmm, true. But I have more confidence now. As Valkyrie, I never liked you. As Darquesse, I positively _hated_ you. Now you've tried to harm my sister to get to me, I'm deciding whether or not to kill you."

Valkyrie still had a conscience; she was still herself. But she was powerful, so powerful, and confident, with an intense anger that needed to be expressed. She still loved her family, her friends, her life, and Skulduggery more than anything. And now she was a real danger to the people who stood in her way. Destroying the planet was still interesting, she wanted to see if she could do it, but she had bugs to squash for the moment. Melancholia, for instance...

Valkyrie used her new found strength to rise off the ground, and Melancholia choked, eyes widening in fear. The shadows slapped uselessly at Val's clutching hand, thin wisps of smoke that did nothing to loosen her hold. They were rising higher, moving away from the ground, the streets of Haggard and the field below getting smaller and smaller. And then Valkyrie let go and Melancholia dropped, a startled scream echoing after her. Valkyrie floated gently down, until her boots were on the ground beside Melancholia, who was wide eyed and struggling to breathe, but still very much alive; the shadows had cushioned her fall somewhat. Shame...

"Come near Haggard again, Melancholia, and I will kill you. Got that?"

"...Y-yes," she whispered breathlessly.

"Go on, get lost. Oh, and before you go, watch your back, yeah? You try and become the Death Bringer again, and you're dead." Melancholia nodded, terrified and bitter, and shadow-walked away, the blackness encompassing her body as it lay flat on the ground.

From somewhere to her right, Skulduggery groaned.

"Skulduggery?"

"No, it's Father Christmas."

"You better have brought presents," Valkyrie grinned, and then frowned. "Where exactly are you?"

"Here and there; she knocked my head off." Valkyrie could see his body, stumbling around comically, while his voice came from a completely different direction.

"Keep talking and I'll find you." She could see so much better in the dark since merging with Darquesse, but the long grass obscured his head from view.

"Okay." He started humming some tune she didn't recognise, until her foot hit something solid.

"Ow."

"Sorry; I didn't see you there." She bent to pick up his lonely skull, and held his head out in front of her. "This," she chuckled, "is hilarious."

"For you, perhaps. Can I go get my body now?"

"I'm enjoying watching it stumble around like that though," she whined.

"Body. Now."

"Fine." She tramped through the grass and tapped the body on the shoulder. It turned and she snapped Skulduggery's head back into place. He winced.

"You'd think I'd be used to the pain by now. But it gets me every time." Valkyrie shook her head; the number of times she'd seen him lose an arm or a leg, or his head, was amazing. She'd put him back together more times than she could count.

oO0Oo

"There's something different about you," Skulduggery said as he swept the pieces of shattered vase off the carpet of the Edgley household.

"Yes." She didn't bother hiding it or denying it; she didn't see a need to anymore. She was confident.

"You didn't kill Melancholia."

"No," she answered, putting the little tea table the right way up. They were on the landing, sweeping up the evidence of any fighting, while Fletcher returned to teleport Wistful to the Sanctuary.

"Do I call you Valkyrie or Darquesse now?" She leant against the wall and thrust her hands deep into her pockets. Her new frame of mind didn't change the fact that she cared about him deeply, and merging with Darquesse could've ruined the chance for a relationship with him. And that hurt.

"I'd answer to either, but Valkyrie is fine," she said. He straightened up.

"What happened?"

"I don't know; Darquesse was nagging more than usual, and Valkyrie was mad at Melancholia. Darquesse pushed her way out and now I'm a mix of the two."

"Do you want to destroy the world?"

"I don't want to, but I could. I'm not going to lie; I could snuff this whole world out like that." She snapped her fingers. "But that'd mean taking my family, friends, and you along with it. I'm stronger, and angrier, and different, sure. But I'm still Valkyrie Cain."

"But you'll answer to Darquesse?"

"It's my true name; of course I'd answer to it, especially now Darquesse is a conscious part of me. But I chose to be Valkyrie Cain. And that's who I want to stay." She took a photo off the wall, a family picture of her as a smiling seventeen year old, with her parents and a younger Alice eating an ice cream, chocolate plastered around her mouth. "This is me. This is who I am." She tapped her smiling image; it had been one of the few times she'd actually been around. It wasn't just a picture of her reflection. Speaking of the reflection...

"Uh...Skulduggery?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Is the reflection still dead in the living room?"

"Yes."

"Shouldn't we move it?"

"Yes." They checked to make sure nothing else was damaged, and Skulduggery removed the shards of porcelain from the creamy carpet, scooping them into a dustpan and following Valkyrie down the stairs.

The reflection lay cold and stiff, head bent at an odd angle, in the middle of the Persian rug in the living room. Skulduggery cocked his head.

"This is the second time I've seen your dead body. I still don't like it."

"Yeah, me neither." She shuddered and Skulduggery seemed to relax a little when he saw that. She raised an eyebrow. "I am still capable of regular human reactions, you know."

"Sorry...I just remember how Darquesse was at McGillycuddy's reeks. She was ruthless. I don't want you to become like her."

"I'm still me, Skul," she said, troubled. The clock on the wall chimed eight, and she sighed. "We'd better get it back in the mirror."

They carried the body upstairs to Valkyrie's full length mirror, and pushed it through the glass. It started to fall, slumping into whatever world lay behind the mirror, before it shimmered and opened its eyes. Valkyrie touched the surface and took a step back as the memory of having her neck broken settled into place. What also settled beside it alarmed her. An emotion, the first emotion ever, had registered within the reflection's mind. It was no longer a blank, fuzzy patch, but a real, authentic memory. It was possessiveness. The object of the reflections' possessiveness was Alice, Valkyrie's sister.

"Skulduggery, the reflection's being weird. Again."

"What did it do this time?"

"It wants Al. It wants my sister."

"Oh...Oh dear. That's not good."

"You think?" Valkyrie asked sarcastically. She ran a hand through her dark hair and sighed, turning away from the mirror. "Whatever, we can't deal with this now. We have to get Alice home, and I have to be here in time for my parents coming back."

"What time are they due home?"

"Ten."

"Two hours, that's plenty of time," Skulduggery said.

"This is Alice we're talking about. Do you have any idea how long it takes to _catch _her when she doesn't want to go somewhere?"

"Ah. Good point. You should probably tell Fletcher we need him again; the Bentley's still back at the Sanctuary." Valkyrie dug her phone out and called Fletcher, and seconds later he was beside them, teleporting them back to the sanctuary.

oO0Oo

"Al, come on, Mum and Dad will be home soon!" Valkyrie groaned, struggling to catch her sister. She'd been trying to get Alice home for an hour and a half. She was getting nowhere. Skulduggery entered the Infirmary where Alice was bouncing on a gurney and annoying Nye, to find Valkyrie going quietly insane.

"Alice, be a good girl and come here, would you?" he asked warmly. She grinned.

"It's the skellington man! Hello Mr Skellington!" she giggled.

"Hello, my dear." He bowed slightly, doffing his hat to her, oozing charm. Alice was besotted. She hopped off the bed and stood in front of him, leaning back a little so she could see his face.

"I like you, skellington man," she lisped.

"I like you too, but I'm sure your parents will be wondering where you've gotten to."

"Awwwwh! But I don't wanna go home!" she pouted and Skulduggery melted. She was _adorable_. He held out a gloved hand and she took it, her little hand clutching his fingers. "Come play a game with me," she begged. "If I win I get to stay."

"And if _I_ win, you have to do as you're told, madam," he bargained.

"Deal." The six year old started running. "If you catch me, I'll go home." She disappeared out the Infirmary doors, Skulduggery hot on her heels. Less than ten minutes later, he came back, a scowling child on his shoulders.

"You cheated," she said, tapping his skull.

"I did no such thing," he replied.

"Did too."

"Did not." He stopped. "Where's Fletcher?"

"He told me to stop using him as a taxi and left," Valkyrie replied.

"How are we supposed to get her home in time?"

"Drive really fast and hope we avoid the lamp posts."

"I would never be unobservant enough to hit a lamp post."

"Whatever, just avoid them anyway," Valkyrie told him.

"And police?"

"Those too."

oO0Oo

Skulduggery tapped the symbols on his collar bones as they left the Sanctuary's shadowy corridors, cursing when nothing happened.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Is the facade malfunctioning again?" Valkyrie asked, keeping a tight hold on her sister's hand.

"It would seem so, yes."

"So we have twenty minutes for a half hour journey, in which time we have to get Alice to go to bed without a fuss, I have to get changed, and you have to get away?"

"Yes."

"This is going to be impossible," she groaned, sitting Alice in the back of the Bentley. Skulduggery winced (a child in his beloved car was not something he considered to be a good thing!) before sliding into the front seat and starting the engine. Valkyrie pulled the door shut as he pulled away from the Sanctuary.

"Seatbelt, Valkyrie" Skulduggery said. Valkyrie rolled her eyes, but did as she was told.

"Seatbelt, Al," Valkyrie said. Alice rolled her eyes too, before doing as _she_ was told. Skulduggery laughed. "What's so funny?" Valkyrie asked him as they left Roarhaven.

"Alice is a lot like you. It's quite amusing."

Alice fired question after question at them, from the back seat, wanting to know why Skulduggery was a skeleton and how he could drive without eyes.

"Mr Skellington," she said.

"Yes?"

"How can you drive without any eyes?"

"It's magic, my dear."

"Magic? Can you make a bunny come out of a hat? Make me disappear!" she giggled, excited.

"She is _never_ going to go to sleep," Valkyrie groaned. "And you are not helping."

"May I remind you who it was that actually _caught_ her?"

"No you may not."

"Tough. I caught her. If anything I made it _better_ for you. You should thank me."

"Never going to happen," she answered, nervously looking out the windows, trying to spot the outskirts of Haggard through the dark.

"Mr Skellington?"

"Yes, Alice?"

"Why aren't you scary?"

"I'm a gentleman. I like to be friendly."

"Skellingtons should be scary."

"If I was scary, I wouldn't have played catch with you earlier. I can be very scary."

"Show me."

"Boo." Alice giggled.

"You're silly, skellington man." Valkyrie smiled; Alice was as besotted by Skulduggery as he was with her.

"You're good with kids," Valkyrie said quietly when Alice fell silent and started looking out the windows.

"I did have a child of my own once, remember," he answered, keeping his voice low.

"I know...I just didn't expect it, you know?" She struggled to put her thoughts into words. "I didn't think...well..." she trailed off.

"We can have this conversation later, if you'd like, but right now we have to get Alice back home, now get out," he answered promptly as the car pulled to a stop outside her parents' house.

Alice undid her seatbelt herself and hopped out of the back. She looked tired. Valkyrie was relieved to see no car outside, other than the Bentley. Her parents must be late. She hurried Alice inside and Skulduggery followed, urging them both to hurry up. Alice went straight to her bedroom and tugged on her pyjamas while Skulduggery stood outside, waiting. Valkyrie tucked Alice up in bed, kissed her forehead, and went to leave the room.

"Night night Stephie, night night skellington man," she whispered, as Valkyrie closed the door. Skulduggery tilted his head, the gesture indecipherable to Valkyrie.

"I should probably stay here until they get here," she said, walking down the stairs and looking back at Skulduggery. He looked up and stopped.

"Uh...Valkyrie?"

"Yes?"

"I think it's time you introduced me."

"What?" He turned her head to look at the doorway, where her mother and father stood, open mouthed, staring at the walking, talking skeleton behind her. Valkyrie closed her eyes and sighed.

"Well, this should be interesting," the skeleton said.

"Shut up, Skulduggery."

"Right."

oO0Oo

"Stephanie?" Her mother was sheet white, eyes wide with surprise.

"Hi mum," Valkyrie answered, and called upon that unfathomable confidence that came with being Darquesse. "How was your evening?"

"Never mind our evening; what is _that_?" Desmond asked, pointing at Skulduggery.

"Not 'that', _he_. This is Skulduggery Pleasant."

"Hello," Skulduggery said.

"I think I need to sit down," Melissa gasped faintly. Alice came down the stairs, dressed in cute pink pyjamas, covered in teddy bears.

"Excuse me Mr Skellington," she beamed, and Skulduggery moved to the side to let Alice pass. She went to hug her mother. "Hello mummy."

"Hello, angel, are you alright?"

"I'm good," she grinned, exposing the gap in her teeth again. "Mr Skellington is nice, don't worry mummy. He's magic."

"Magic?" Desmond went from grey to red. "I remember you," he said, advancing on Skulduggery. "You were at the reading of Gordon's Will; he gave you that advice. You were one of his weirdo cult friends."

"I was indeed at the reading, and I am indeed still his friend, but I am not in a cult," Skulduggery answered. Valkyrie tugged him down the remainder of the stairs to stand in the hallway, where Desmond was beginning to rage.

"I think we'd better all sit down. Stephanie, you have some explaining to do," Melissa said, and led them into the living room on shaky legs.

oO0Oo

"Dad, do you remember the stories about magic that Grandpa used to tell you?" Valkyrie asked, fingering the soft brown leather of the sofa in the sitting room. Skulduggery was beside her, and her parents faced them from across the room, with Alice sat on Melissa's knee.

"Yes."

"They're all true. We're descended from the Last of the Ancients."

"I told you to stay away from that. So many times I told you, Stephanie."

"You told me to stay away from _cults_, dad. This is different."

"Your Grandpa was crazy, Steph. He went insane. You can't really believe this?"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Skulduggery said, "but the impossibility of my being here should tell you something. Magic is real; it's what allows me to walk, talk, think and feel, and without it I would cease to exist. Your father was right, Mr Edgley, and Gordon was a dear friend of mine. Ask him yourself if you don't believe your daughter."

"Gordon Edgley is dead. I can't ask him." Des looked bewildered. "Can I?"

"We'll get into that some other time," Val interrupted. "What's important is that I'm magic, and that my boyfriend is a skeleton."

"Your _boyfriend_?" Desmond's anger piqued.

"Des, calm down, dear. Let her explain," Melissa instructed. Valkyrie's father puffed up, but remained silent.

"Do you remember that night I stayed at Gordon's after the reading?" Valkyrie asked.

"It was pouring rain and you were reading the dictionary," Melissa nodded, her lips twitching, and a small flutter of hope settled in Valkyrie's stomach.

"I was attacked by a man looking for something Gordon had. Skulduggery saved my life that night, and I asked him to teach me magic. He agreed, and for the last eight years him and Tanith Low have been training me." Melissa blinked, surprised.

"But Tanith Low was your teacher at school," she said, remembering the time Tanith had turned up at Valkyrie's house, possessed by a remnant.

"That was a cover up; she was going through a tough time and needed to talk to me, so she came to find me," Val lied.

"Well...you certainly kept this very quiet," Desmond said roughly, some of the redness leaving his cheeks as he began to calm down.

"I had to; it's a dangerous world to live in. I wanted to keep you all out of it as much as possible, to keep you safe."

"Just how dangerous are we talking, Stephanie?"

"Remember Gordon's books?" Her parents nodded. "They're based on real events."

"All of them?"

"Every single one."

Valkyrie couldn't believe her parents hadn't fainted. Not even one scream had come from them, though Desmond looked ready to throw something at Skulduggery, who remained silent and tense beside Valkyrie, until Alice slipped off her mother's knee settled down beside him.

"Show us some magic, Mr Skellington," she said eagerly. Melissa's eyebrows raised.

"Why is it that when a living skeleton walks into my home, neither of my daughters bat an eyelid, but my husband is ready to faint?" she muttered. Desmond scowled.

"Alice actually likes Skulduggery, mum," Val mumbled.

"He's...charming, I'll give him that."

"Thank you, ma'am," Skulduggery dipped his head respectfully, and Mel tried a smile. Alice sat herself on his lap.

"I'm waiting Mr Skellington," she demanded. He chuckled and snapped his fingers, curling the sparks in his palm into a flame. It danced bright in his hand and Alice squealed, clapping her little hands together. Desmond's mouth fell open, and Melissa gently shut it again, pushing his chin up. The flame went out and Alice grabbed his hand, peering into his sleeve to see how he did it.

"Do it again!" Valkyrie did it instead, and this time Melissa's mouth fell open too.

And then, to ruin it all, Valkyrie's reflection came down the stairs, and Skulduggery's head jerked back.

"Didn't we put it back in the mirror?" he asked.

"Yes. Yes we did," Valkyrie muttered. "And this time, I _definitely_ touched the glass." Skulduggery and Valkyrie looked at each other.

"It can let itself out," Valkyrie said.

"That is _not good_."


	9. Mirror Image

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 9...**_

_**Chapter 8 is here! Sorry about the delay if it bothered anybody (: Want to thank everyone for the amazing reviews! Just to let people know, I'm sending my first original book to a publisher soon to see where it goes, the response to this really fed my confidence (: It'd really help if you could get people to read my work (: Don't mean to beg or anything, but really, if you like this story enough to recommend it to your friends then I'll love you forever! (': All characters belong to Derek Landy, except Wistful, she's still mine (: Enjoy!**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie had definitely left the reflection in the mirror. She'd touched the glass and she'd _definitely_ absorbed the memories; the sensation of having her neck snapped was still fresh in her mind. What the Hell was going on?

"Why are you out of the mirror?" Valkyrie hissed. It blinked.

"You didn't touch the glass."

"I did."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes she did," Skulduggery put in. "I watched her."

"Steph, why are there two of you?" Des asked, bewildered. "Melissa, did you have twins and forget to tell me?" He turned to his wife, eyes wide.

"I think I'd remember that, Desmond."

"That's Stefnee. She babysits me when Stephie isn't around," Alice said simply, pointing at the reflection.

Valkyrie dropped her face into her hands; life was getting too complicated for her liking. Releasing that dark, writhing energy swirling inside her was becoming tempting. Were it not for her family and the love of her life, all sat round her and waiting for her to speak, she would've done it, right there in that instant. She would've snapped her fingers and blew out whatever flame fuelled the molten core at the centre of the planet. She would've had great waves of shadow suck the life from every single being on the godforsaken rock, put out every single light in every lamp on the street, burned the gold and cream striped wallpaper from the living room walls, torched every family photo, melted the leather sofa and seared the flesh and bones of everyone in the room, spreading out to the houses next door, consuming the street, then the town, then the country, and finally the world. But she didn't.

"Get back upstairs, and get back in the mirror. _Now_," Val warned.

"But our parents are waiting for an explanation."

"_My_ parents, yes. Not yours. Just like _my_ sister loves _me_. Not you. You're just around when I can't be. You're a carbon copy of me, nothing more. You're here to babysit on those rare occasions that I'm too busy."

"Steph, explain what's happening before your father turns purple, please," Melissa begged. The reflection didn't move. Valkyrie growled.

"Skul, can you get rid of her?"

"Of course," he nodded, and brushed his teeth against her cheek in a skeletal kiss, before sliding Al off his knee and moving to haul the reflection to the kitchen. It didn't struggle, but it looked like it wanted to. Val couldn't concentrate on controlling her anger with so much going on, so she was surprised when she turned back to her parents and they were staring at her hands. She looked down.

Her fists were clenched, both hands engulfed by black, shadowy flames. She took a breath and concentrated until the flames died out, flexing her fingers, wincing when she realised her nails had bitten into the soft flesh of her palms, drawing a few flecks of blood.

"That thing in the doorway wasn't me."

"Who was she then?" her parents asked together, holding each other's hands tightly, their only defence mechanism against the madness surrounding them.

"Not she, _it_. It was my reflection. I use it when I can't be around to baby sit."

"And how often is that?"

"I use it a lot less now than I used to, you know, since moving out. When you guys see me, it's mostly me, and most of the time I go out of my way to make sure I'm available to look after Al." She smiled at her little sister, who was kneeling quietly beside her, playing with a handful of Valkyrie's long, dark hair.

"But there're times when I can't be around," Valkyrie continued. "Like when I was a teenager and you said I got...distant, or it felt like I wasn't always there with you."

"That was her, wasn't it?" Melissa realised. To Valkyrie's confusion, her mum looked _relieved_.

"Yeah, it was."

"Oh, thank God! We thought you were taking drugs or something! I thought I was losing my little girl!"

"You could never lose me, mum," Val answered, feeling like twelve-year-old Steph again, surprised to find a lump in her throat and tears stinging her eyes.

"I know, sweetheart. I just wish you'd _told_ us."

"If I'd told you that by the time I turned sixteen I'd saved the world from total destruction at least four times, you'd have gone insane, or locked me in a nut house."

"I'm more worried about you dating a skeleton," Des muttered.

"Dad, he's not that bad, really! Once you get past the lack of skin, he's incredible. Anyway, I haven't been with him long, and he's saved my life hundreds of times. Generally speaking, I'm safer with him than anyone else," Valkyrie told them, hoping they'd listen. Her mum seemed surprised.

"Still doesn't mean I have to like him," her dad grumbled.

"Give him a chance, Desmond."

"But Melissa-"

"No buts! Just give him a chance. If he makes Steph happy, that's all that matters."

Skulduggery appeared with the reflection in front of him, a hand wrapped round its wrist like a manacle as it struggled to break free of his grip.

"Stop it," he told it.

"No. Let me go; I want to see Alice." Valkyrie's heart dropped into her stomach, and Alice dropped the lock of hair and clutched her hand tightly.

"You stay away from her; she's not yours." Valkyrie's parents came to stand around her and Alice, protecting the little girl from the thing with Val's face. Hurt flashed in its eyes, and alarms bells began ringing loudly. The reflection appeared to be developing a conscience. Oh..._shit_.

"Stop struggling," Skulduggery commanded, and the reflection listened to him at last. "You can't just assume that because you look like Valkyrie, you have every right to be part of her family. That's not how it works."

"Who's Valkyrie?" Desmond frowned.

"I am." Valkyrie and the reflection spoke at the same time. Skulduggery clamped a hand over its mouth.

"I'm Valkyrie, Dad," Val said. "It's a long story, but it's my taken name. It stops people that want to hurt me from controlling me."

"Can I still call you Steph?"

"Of course," she nodded, her expression softening. "I'll always be Steph, just a little tougher."

"That's my girl," her dad grinned. "But how do we tell the difference between you and..._that_?" He motioned towards the struggling figure.

"Al knows," I grinned. Alice beamed back, her creamy cheeks dimpling sweetly.

"That's right daddy. This is my Stephie. That's Stefnee; they have different eyes."

"We do?" Val asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yupp. Yours are shinier," she said, and held her arms out. Valkyrie stooped to pick her little sister up and squeezed her tight.

"I've noticed that, too," Skulduggery said, and the reflection elbowed him in the stomach and stamped on his foot. It made a dive for Alice, who hid her face and clung tighter to her big sister. Skulduggery lunged forwards and caught the collar of its tunic, and it gagged as he hauled it back to him and twisted it over his hip. It fell to the ground and he pinned it. "Move again and we'll be forced to end you. And you won't be put back in the mirror this time," he threatened. The reflection glared, but fell silent.

Skulduggery had to remain on the ground, hands pinning its wrists to the floor, knees planted against its lower thighs, preventing it from kicking, while Valkyrie explained everything to her parents. She missed nothing out; not the violence, or the many times she'd been injured, the history she'd learned about the wars, her ancient blood line, or Darquesse. Especially Darquesse. If anybody needed the truth about who she really was, it was her parents. She explained how she'd come across her true name, and how she'd met her friends. She even recounted the first night she'd ever spoken to Skulduggery, right down to how he'd explained exactly what type of car his beloved Bentley was. It took her well over an hour, and her parents listened attentively, inserting a question here and there, completely absorbed in the parts of her life they knew nothing about.

"And that's about it," she finished. "I know it's a lot to take in, but do you understand?"

"Wait, wait, wait; you're telling me that Gordon is dead but you still _talk_ to him?" her dad asked, clearly puzzled.

"Yeah. He's kind of like a ghost."

"And how does that work?"

"Gordon was murdered, as Valk-...err, Stephanie told you, by Nefarian Serpine, the man that murdered _me_. But Gordon had an Echo Stone, allowing him to create another version of himself. Whenever somebody activates the stone, his image fades up and it's like having him back from the dead. He used to use the stone as a writing aid," Skulduggery told them, grunting when the reflection got a leg free and kneed him in the ribs.

"So he spoke to himself when he needed book ideas?" Desmond guessed.

"That sounds just like him," Melissa tutted, fighting a smile. "That man was a mystery unto himself."

"Indeed he was, and still is. You can both go see him, if you'd like? He could meet his newest niece for the first time." Valkyrie felt the warmth of Skulduggery's smile, she heard it in his honey smooth voice, and it melted her heart, her worries fading.

"I'd like that," Des answered, smiling. "I can really see Gordon again?"

"Yeah, dad. He's over at my house; he lives with me, in his little Echo Stone," Valkyrie said.

"My uncle lives in a stone?" Alice asked, intrigued.

"He certainly does; would you like to meet him tomorrow?" Valkyrie's mum asked her little girl.

"Would I ever!" Alice giggled.

Skulduggery pulled the reflection to its feet and cocked his head, turning to Val but saying nothing. He had absolutely no idea what to do with the thing, the thing that looked his love, the thing that wanted her life, but he had to do _something_. He couldn't just let it roam free to snatch Valkyrie's sister whenever it felt like it; that would just cause more chaos.

Valkyrie's parents took Alice to bed. The little girl squealed and whined and protested, and when Val took over Skulduggery's grip on the reflection, ensnaring it in binding shadows and lifting it from the ground, Alice ran to him and leapt into his grasp, hoping he could prolong her evening. He chuckled and handed the child to her parents, feeling the heart he didn't have begin to melt again. Alice pouted, and sadness washed over him. He'd had a child once, a girl like her; beautiful, clever, funny, cheeky, and unbelievably charming. His little Elizabeth. He could never have that again, and what was worse; he could never give Valkyrie her own child to love.

He shook it off and cocked his head to the side as her parents took Alice upstairs to her room.

"What do we do with it?" he asked.

"We could kill it again and not put it back in the mirror," Val mused.

"What if your regular reflection vanishes? Every time you pass a reflective surface, people will ask why you don't appear in it."

"So I'll avoid mirrors."

"Okay, so what about shop windows? And cars? And water? They all cast a reflection."

"Well, we can't just let it run riot and steal my life, can we?"

"No. No, we can't. But you'd have to avoid the public eye where possible," Skulduggery pointed out.

"Who cares about the public eye?"

"Our line of work requires us to be in the public eye_ constantly_, Valkyrie."

"Ah...Should we ask Gordon for some help?"

"Yes, we probably should," he agreed.

oO0Oo

Gordon sat in his chair, behind his big oak desk, in the study lined with shelf after shelf of books, awards, bestseller posters, psychology tomes, thick notepads and battered paperbacks jammed in between, his fingers steepled in front of him as he surveyed his niece, his best friend, and the shadow-bound and gagged reflection behind them. Valkyrie loved Gordon's study; it was where she'd found him almost every single time she'd visited him in his life, and where she _always_ found him now he was dead.

"Valkyrie!" he exclaimed. "You haven't been to see me in a while; I was getting bored."

"...Yeah, there's been a lot on recently," she answered.

"Well I have plenty of time to listen to that particular story."

"To put it simply, my parents know all about magic now."

"Oh, really?" Gordon's eyebrows shot up and he sat forwards, letting his feet slip through the desk to look like they were resting on the floor. "And how did they figure that out?"

"Melancholia and a woman named Wistful attacked my house. I'd been...uh...busy, so the reflection was babysitting Al for me. Wistful was spotted in Haggard so we went and kicked butt, and Fletch took her out of harm's way for a while."

"And how exactly did that result in your parents discovering your secret life?"

"Alice didn't want to go home," Skulduggery chuckled. "Valkyrie tried to catch her for over an hour and a half, before she thought to ask for _my_ help."

"Yeah, thanks for that, Skul," Valkyrie muttered, punching his arm lightly. "No need to boast. Anyway, Skulduggery caught her and we brought her back home, but my parents came home before we could leave. They caught us, and Skulduggery's facade wasn't working so they came face to face with a talking skeleton."

"Well, I assume Desmond was surprised?" Gordon asked.

"Actually, he was madder than anything else. He wanted to kill Skulduggery for dating his little girl," Valkyrie chuckled.

"Skulduggery is doing what?" Gordon asked, head tilting.

"You didn't tell him, did you, Valkyrie." Skulduggery folded his arms across his chest and turned those big, hollow eye sockets on her.

"I thought I had..."

Gordon watched them for a long time, longer than Valkyrie felt comfortable. He got up and walked through the desk to stand in front of Skulduggery, puffing up his chest and using his well-rounded stomach to make up for what he lacked in height. Despite him being unable to harm Skulduggery, the skeleton seemed worried. Echo Gordon rose a few inches off the ground, until he was eye to eye socket with his best friend, their faces so close that Gordon's nose was practically inside Skulduggery's_ head_. He looked furious, ready to yell at the top of his voice.

And then he grinned.

"Congratulations!" he boomed, and Skulduggery sagged.

"Gordon; never, _ever_ do that to me again," he muttered.

"Do what?"

"Well, shout into my eye socket for one, trick me into thinking you hate me for another."

"Ah, Skulduggery, my friend, there is no one on this earth better suited to my niece than you! Surely you didn't think I'd be mad at you for acting on what was always meant to be?"

"As a matter of fact, I did think that, yes."

"Well, I refuse to apologise, because quite frankly that was absolutely hilarious." Echo Gordon burst out laughing, still floating in the air, and doubled over, clutching his transparent stomach. If Skulduggery had eyes, Valkyrie knew he'd roll them. But he'd be smiling too; the camaraderie between the two wasn't ruined, after all.

"Hey, Gordon! _Uncle Gordon_! Calm down a sec!" Valkyrie had to shout over his guffaws, and finally he stopped laughing long enough to hear what she had to say.

"Yes, dearest Valkyrie?" he asked.

"How'd you like to meet your niece tomorrow?"

"Alice? She's coming _here_?"

"Mum and dad want her to meet you. They want to talk to you, too."

"That is _excellent_! Oh, I've _missed_ them!"

"Great! But we need a favour first," Valkyrie said, smiling sweetly.

"What is it?" Gordon asked warily, his excitement dimming a little.

"We need your help dealing with Valkyrie's reflection, Gordon," Skulduggery said quietly. "It's trying to assume her life."

"The reflection has no feelings to _want_ Valkyrie's life," Echo Gordon frowned.

"This one does. Uncle Gordon, remember how I told you it was being weird? Like when it kept missing things out all the time? And you said I just over-used it?"

"I remember. I was very worried about what might happen."

"Well now it's experiencing emotions. It tried to take Alice, and it looked _hurt_ when my parents rejected it for me earlier."

"It glared at me," Skulduggery said. "In fact, it's glaring at me again, right now."

"Hmm, now that is interesting," Gordon mused. "Perhaps the best way to deal with it would be to kill it and leave it in the caves; nobody would get hold of the body to put it back in any mirrors, so theoretically, you'd be home safe and dry."

"Really? It's honestly that easy?"

"I don't see why it shouldn't be; of course, you couldn't use it to baby sit Alice anymore, or to fob off your parents."

"I don't need to lie to them anymore though."

"True. Yes, your best bet would be to kill it and leave it in the caves."

"Won't she be missing a reflection when she walks past a reflective surface, though?" Skulduggery asked.

"She might, but then again she might not. The only thing you can do is try it and see if it works."

"Thanks, Uncle Gordon," Valkyrie grinned.

"Anything for my favourite niece," he answered back, an admiring smile rearranging his face.

oO0Oo

The reflection struggled in its shadowy shackles, unable to break free.

"Okay, I've shot your reflection before, but this is just unsettling," Skulduggery told her, watching it shake with fear, _real_ fear, in the vast, musty basement, lined with wooden boxes and leather trunks, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, their shadows flickering in the light of the flame in Valkyrie's palm. She was finding it increasingly easy to manipulate the shadows _and_ the elements at the same time.

"Why's it unsettling?" she asked. "I'm right here; you know you're not shooting me."

"But look at it. It's _afraid_. It has that same look in its eye, _that same look_, as when the Torment told me to kill you. You looked terrified, Valkyrie. You looked at me and the gun in my hand like I was your worst nightmare. It haunted me for_ months_ afterwards."

"But it _isn't_ me; it tried to take my little sister and it wants my life. If we leave it to run riot, that's it. It'll try to claim my family and it'll cause as much trouble as it can manage."

"I know," he sighed. He took his revolver from an inside pocket in his jacket and thumbed the hammer back, pointing it at the reflection, right between its eyes. He turned his head away and pulled the trigger, the gun bucking slightly with the recoil. For the second time in her life, Valkyrie saw her own dead body hit the ground at Skulduggery's hand, one of his bullets buried in her corpse. She shuddered, the smell of gunpowder churning her stomach, and he cocked his head.

"What?"

"What does it feel like to see your boyfriend shoot you?" he asked.

"Idiot," she grinned. "I'm beginning to think you enjoy killing me."

"Whatever gave you that idea?"


	10. A Grimm Introduction

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 10...**_

_**Thanks again everyone who keeps reading and reviewing and encouraging me! I know it doesn't seem like much but even a 'Hey! That was really good! But you could change this...' gives me a push towards a great story (: All characters (unfortunately) are Derek Landy's, except Wistful (: She was my idea. Hope you like it! (:**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie woke up curled against Skulduggery's chest, wrapped in the blankets of one of Gordon's luxurious four poster beds. In fact, technically it was _her_ bed, since she inherited the house when she turned eighteen. But even after two years, she couldn't think of it as _her_ house, especially not with Gordon still floating around his study like he'd never left.

"Good morning," Skulduggery greeted her, and the sound was music to her ears. She'd had dreams about waking up with him; she'd had them for years, but to actually be _living_ in one, it felt so surreal. He was stroking her hair, his ribs exposed, the black bracelet still clipped round his wrist. Once again, the bracelets were the _only_ things they were wearing, and Valkyrie didn't mind that one bit. In fact, she'd completely forgotten about them.

"Morning," she mumbled back, stretching drowsily, a smile on her face. "You know what? I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"Me neither, actually," he answered.

"Care to tell me why?"

"You first," he countered.

"Because I'm in _love_, Skulduggery, and because the man that I love feels the _same_."

"Who's the lucky gent?" he teased.

"_Ha ha_, funny. As you get older, your jokes get progressively worse, you know."

"On the contrary, I'm quite hilarious."

"Okay, sure. Now it's your turn; what's making you feel so good?"

"Well...she's tall, dark haired, strong, she has big, sparkly brown eyes, and she's not too intelligent..."

"Always with the insults," Valkyrie muttered, pretending to be offended. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"You know I'm joking," he said, teeth grazing the skin of her throat. She shivered.

"I know," she answered, her voice uneven, and she felt his head tilt against her jaw smugly.

The sun came through the duck-egg-blue curtains at an angle, falling across Valkyrie's face and shining in her eyes, making them dance with light. Skulduggery had never met anybody quite like her, not since his wife, and he'd been so convinced that it'd all slip away from him. But looking at her, at his Valkyrie, as she lay in his arms with a smile on her beautiful face, undisturbed by his skeletal frame, he saw no trace of the monster that she was predicted to become. Darquesse was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn't have been happier.

"We should probably get up; we have to interrogate Wistful."

"I don't want to move though; can't somebody else do it?" Valkyrie groaned.

"We are the Sanctuary's Prime Detectives, Valkyrie. Since this is the leading case at the moment, no, somebody else can't do it, unfortunately. Besides, don't you want to know how Wistful got in contact with Melancholia?"

"...Yeah, okay," she agreed grudgingly. "Five more minutes though, please?"

"I wouldn't say no to that." Valkyrie grinned and searched for a kiss. She was rewarded with a gentle peck. She sighed and pulled his face to hers, gently, but firmly. By the time she was finished kissing him, her heart was pounding and his voice was rough.

"You are a bad influence, Valkyrie Cain," he said, sounding breathless, not that he needed to breathe. She cuddled closer to him, feeling smug.

"But you love it."

"I have to admit, it _is_ growing on me rather quickly." He looked at the clock on the antique, distressed-white bedside table and sighed.

"Don't say it," she warned.

"We have to-"

"Don't."

"We have to get up."

"Skuuuuul," she moaned. "Can't we be fashionably late or something?"

"No." He sat up and tipped her off him, chuckling to himself when she moaned and pulled the thick, cashmere blanket over her head. He slipped his clothes on before she even bothered to move, and was adjusting his tie when she peeked out of her cushioned cocoon.

"You get dressed too quickly," she pouted.

"And you get up too slowly. Move, _now_."

"Or else?"

"I'll make you move." She raised an eyebrow, yawned, and turned over, her back to him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he muttered, and found her wrist under the covers. He grabbed it and pulled smoothly, careful not to hurt her, and before she knew it she was on her feet, in his arms, and _freezing_. She turned to burrow back into the bed, but he snagged her waist, laughing to himself. She stopped struggling.

"You," she said, "are no fun."

"And you need to get dressed. I'll be downstairs in the kitchen; what do you want for breakfast?"

"Coffee," she decided. "And something with eggs."

"How does an omelette sound?"

"It sounds perfect," she grinned, and kissed his jaw, before he turned her around and gave her a gentle, reluctant push towards the wardrobe.

oO0Oo

"So do you have any ideas about how Wistful got hold of Melancholia?" Valkyrie asked, around a mouthful of gloriously fluffy, piping hot omelette. "This is good, by the way. You've been practising."

"Somebody needs to be able to cook around here; Gordon can't pick up a pan and if you had your own way you'd live on microwave dinners and takeaways. And no, I don't even know how Wistful figured out that Melancholia hates you," he answered, leaning against the kitchen counter, his thin frame illuminated by the morning sun. Her heart thudded.

Valkyrie cocked her head, remembering the night he'd first saved her life, back when she was still a child.

"You stood right there when I woke up, you know," she told him.

"You mean the night I saved you, when you fainted?" He took great delight in reminding her of that.

"Yes," Valkyrie said grudgingly. "When I fainted."

"I was just thinking the same thing myself, actually. The number of times I've had to catch you is literally astonishing."

"So is the number of times I've had to pick up pieces of you and put them back together."

"Ah. Touché."

"Thought so," she answered smugly, and swallowed another mouthful of omelette. It really was _amazing_. "Is there anything you can't do?" she asked.

"Normally, I would answer that question by saying I can't fly, but I can, so that's a moot point. No, it appears I'm good at everything."

"What about music?"

"Music?"

"Yeah. Can you sing? Do you play an instrument?"

"...I can play piano," he told her after a long pause.

"You have to show me."

"Of course, but right now you need to hurry up and finish eating; we're going to be late. _Again_."

oO0Oo

Wistful spat at Skulduggery's feet, narrowly missing his right shoe, and Valkyrie felt her omelette churn in her stomach as Wistful glared at him through one eye. The other was closed and purple, swollen from the fighting.

"Spitting is a disgusting habit, especially in women," Skulduggery muttered, taking a step back. "You must know that you're going to prison for a very long time by now, yes?"

"I'm not getting locked up," she grinned.

"Yes, you are, because you're a murderer, and murderers don't get off scot free," Valkyrie answered.

"It's such a shame you're allied with the detective, you know. From what I saw, you'd make a perfectly good criminal. If I'd met you sooner, we could've ruined many lives together...Darquesse, is it?"

"It's Valkyrie, and even if you'd met me before Skulduggery, I'd still pick him. Every single time. Now answer the questions or be sent to the Gaol without a trial. It's up to you."

"How did you know Melancholia?" Skulduggery asked for perhaps the twenty fifth time in the last five minutes. The lights around him were still there, though Valkyrie had figured out that if she didn't focus on them, she didn't notice them anymore. The fluorescent bubble grew short spikes of annoyance as Wistful continued to irritate him.

"Everybody knew she was set to replace Lord Vile as the next Death Bringer; the Necromancers didn't keep it as quiet as they thought. I also found out that she'd had a fight with your partner, and Lord Vile, and that together they destroyed the symbols carved into her skin. She got angry that this girl took her powers from her. She made it no secret that she wanted to kill you, Darquesse."

"My name is Valkyrie, and I didn't destroy the symbols. Vile did. She should be picking a fight with him, that is, _if_ she can find him," Valkyrie answered impassively, fully aware that the man she loved was Lord Vile, and that he was in the same room as them.

"That's why she didn't choose to fight him, child. You were the next best thing, so she wants you dead. And now you've bruised my face, _I_ want you dead too. So soon you'll _be_ dead, which is a shame, because I was really starting to like you."

"So you got in touch with Melancholia because Valkyrie punched you?" Skulduggery asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, pretty much." Wistful smiled, showing a gap where her tooth had been knocked loose. "By the way, your little threats won't scare her, not for long. She'll make your life Hell. Just wait until she gets in touch with an old friend of mine, that is, if she hasn't already." Her smile turned wicked.

"What old friend?" Valkyrie asked.

"Ask my pretty twin sister," she sneered.

Wistful refused to say anymore, so after another hour of badgering her for answers that weren't going to come, Skulduggery gave up and called the Cleavers in to take her. They entered in silence, long grey robes almost touching the ground, visored faces impassive. The scythes strapped to their backs gleamed menacingly in the harsh light of the stark white interview room. They pulled her from the only chair in the room, away from the small table, and out the door, just as Tanith Low came in behind them, doing her best to avoid her sister's catcalls as she was dragged down the corridor.

"Hey guys," she said.

"Tanith," Skulduggery nodded, sounding worried. Valkyrie's head snapped up,

"What's wrong?"

"If the 'old friend' she's talking about is who I think it is, then we're in for a world of trouble."

"What old friend?" Tanith asked. "What's she said?"

"Wistful said Melancholia's gonna get in touch with an old friend," Val explained.

"She said you'd know which old friend it was going to be," Skulduggery added.

"I don't...wait...old friend..." Tanith's face paled; never a good sign. Tanith wasn't afraid of anyone. "If it's who I think it is, we're in for a world of trouble. Literally."

"What? Who is it?"

"I think I know who she means," Skulduggery said quietly. He and Tanith shared a look.

"What? _What_?" Valkyrie pestered, getting frustrated.

"She's going to Notorious Grimm," Tanith mumbled.

"We are in so much _trouble_." The skeleton groaned and his head sagged. Valkyrie's heart began to pound. For the first time in years, Valkyrie Cain, aka Darquesse, the girl who was fated to destroy the world, was really, truly afraid.

oO0Oo

They were gathered in Erskine's office; Skulduggery had his back against a leather panel on the wall, eye sockets fixed on the polished oak floor, hat pulled low over his skull. He hadn't said much since they figured out who Wistful's 'old friend' was. Tanith sat in one leather chair in front of the sparkling, solid gold desk, laden with ornaments and trinkets of various shapes, sizes, colours, and even dimensions. She had her knees tucked up, her chin resting on them, one hand in Ghastly's, the other on the handle of her sword like she believed she'd need it at a second's notice. Elder Bespoke sat in the other leather chair, frown lines etched upon his scarred forehead, wishing he was back in his shop, behind his sewing machine, living the quieter life with a cup of tea and a new ream of fabric. Erskine sat in his wingback chair opposite them all, his head tapping repeatedly against his golden desk with a quiet 'thud'. Valkyrie contented herself by looking around his office; it wasn't all that interesting.

The wall behind Erskine was full of shelves, stacked with identical, leather bound books, all burgundy, with gold leaf on the spines. Val doubted there was even anything in them; the office hadn't been changed since Guild had been thrown out of power for attempted murder. The books, like the desk, were just a way of showing off. The two walls opposite one another, to the left and right of the room, were cream, interspersed with dark, luxurious leather panels spaced evenly apart, matching the dark oak floor and the upholstery on the seats. The wall with the door on it had two large paintings, one on either side, both of the Requiem Ball in different years. Valkyrie could clearly see China Sorrows in both of them, surrounded by vying men.

"We're screwed," Erskine groaned, sitting up and rubbing his forehead, where a faint blue bruise had begun to form as his head repeatedly struck the precious metal tabletop. Valkyrie looked at the ornate black and green clock hanging on the wall, and realised with surprise that he'd been doing that for over twenty minutes. "There is no way we can beat Grimm. He's just too strong."

"There is always a way to beat someone," Skulduggery said quietly. "It just takes a while to find it."

"There is? You seem to forget that he is one of the few people who has almost ended your life. It took three months to free you from him, by which time you'd been dismembered, tortured, your bones cut to pieces, put back together, burned, beaten, and God only knows what else. It was a miracle that you were alive, and for a long time you could barely move, Skulduggery," Ghastly said quietly. Valkyrie recoiled from the image of Skulduggery, his bones cleaved into ragged chunks, sprawled on the floor beneath a figure of darkness.

"Technically, compared to how long I've been alive, seven years isn't all that long to be out of action," the skeleton detective answered mildly, his eye sockets still fixed on a notch in the wooden floor.

"Seven _years_?" Valkyrie burst out. "Who the Hell _is_ this guy?" It was Tanith who answered her; nobody else in the room seemed brave enough to explain.

"Notorious Grimm is the closest living thing to a Faceless One that exists on this planet. He's thousands of years older than even the oldest living mage. He'd be a match even for Darquesse and Lord Vile combined, and you saw how much damage _they_ did," she said. "He can command the Elements, use Necromancy, he can counter any Adept trick with one of his own, and he possesses a power none of us have ever seen before, and will never see again. He looks like an angel, thinks like a demon, and he's as cold and merciless as the Dark Gods themselves. If you ever come face to face with him, you can be sure that you're dead, and it won't be quick. Skulduggery is the only one to ever survive the torture Grimm puts you through." Tanith stole a quick glance at the skeleton. "And even then, he wasn't didn't come back...whole."

"What do you mean, 'whole'?" Valkyrie asked, trying to ignore the sick chill running its fingers over her skin, raising goose bumps up and down her arms.

"I was quite insane, after Grimm was finished with me," Skulduggery told her. "Even after my body was working again, my sanity remained broken and fragmented."

"How did you fix it?" she questioned. He shrugged reluctantly. "Skulduggery?"

"...China Sorrows. She became my friend, and she fixed my mind, piece by piece. Of course, it was all for her own gain. It turns out she was the one who turned me over to Grimm in the first place. She was just trying to soothe her guilty conscience."

"She stabbed you in the back _twice_?"

Valkyrie was seething. Once, that could perhaps be forgiven, but _twice_? Violence threatened to overwhelm her.

"Yes, but that can be saved for another day. Right now, Grimm is the problem."

"Can he be killed?" Ghastly asked hoarsely.

"Quite frankly, I haven't the foggiest. My guess is that he wounds like any mortal, but he's simply too quick to injure. There is _no way_ past his defences, and we're damn lucky he stayed out of Mevolent's war. If he'd fought, none of us would be here today, along with half of humanity."

"So that's it? We just let him do whatever he wants, and we die?" Valkyrie asked, disbelief evident in her eyes and voice. Tears thickened her throat, threatening to overwhelm her, revealing the vulnerable young girl that still existed somewhere deep inside her soul.

"We can fight. We can try to resist. But it won't work," Skulduggery answered, a hollow hopelessness echoing back to her ears, a hopelessness she'd never heard before, and it terrified every part of her, even breaking down the walls of unshakable confidence she'd gained from Darquesse. The raging fire inside her died out, dimming to nothing but the blackened ashes of fear and defeat. She felt like she was standing on a cliff, hounded by wolves, with two choices. Jump and be shattered by the jagged rocks of defeat, or turn back and be torn to pieces in the jaws of fate.

"So yeah, we're screwed," Erskine said, looking paler than ever, and went back to tapping his head against the table top, making the bruise bigger.

"Of course, there's no proof that Grimm is back on the scene, so why bother about it now?" Skulduggery said, his voice marred with false brightness.

"That's true, but knowing my crazy sister, every single word of it is true; just because a couple of people kicked her ass, she puts the entire planet in jeopardy," Tanith muttered.

"Who says he's a match for Darquesse and Vile?" Valkyrie asked suddenly. "What if they're the only ones that can actually _stop_ him?" Skulduggery laughed bitterly, and Valkyrie flinched at the harsh sound.

"Pity; the only way to stop him from destroying humanity is to unleash the next biggest threat on him and hope Darquesse can destroy Lord Vile, and regain control of herself, before the rest of the world realises what's happening," the skeleton mused, shaking his head, gaze still trained on the ground.

"Why couldn't I do it?" Valkyrie asked. "Darquesse is who I am, but Valkyrie Cain is me too. And so is Stephanie Edgley. I have all Darquesse's strength, and her anger, and her confidence, but I have Valkyrie's common sense, and Stephanie's family. I can keep a lid on my evil. I could find Lord Vile," Valkyrie said, shooting a look at Skulduggery, who had finally looked up, and was watching her intently. "I could find him and try to convince him to help me. Maybe we _could_ finish Grimm."

"Valkyrie, I am sorry to tell you this, my dear," Ghastly said, smiling at her sadly, "but Notorious Grimm is said to be the offspring of a Faceless One and a particularly twisted Ancient. That would make him a _demigod_. He has more power than Darquesse and Lord Vile could ever hope to master, even after Darquesse experiences the Surge and unlocks all her raw potential. And while Darquesse has the power to end humanity on her own, she doesn't have the inclination. Grimm possesses both, and with an excuse, he won't hesitate to destroy everyone; men, women, children and mages alike. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you can do; nobody can escape him."

Valkyrie lapsed into depressed silence and thought with the rest of them, trying to ignore the continuous rapping of Erskine's face on his desk, even as it grew in pace, tapping a little faster every so often as his stress heightened. And then she tilted her head, fully aware that she looked a lot like Skulduggery when he had an idea.

"If this Grimm guy is meant to kill me for Wistful, then wouldn't that mean that the future changes?" she asked.

"Yes, I believe it would," the skeleton nodded.

"Then wouldn't the Sensitives see it? Wouldn't they notice the change?"

"Yes, in theory, they should."

"And that'd give us some proof that he's back, right?"

"Which would give us somewhere to start," Tanith smiled weakly. "At least we'd know he was coming."

"So what do you suggest we do, Detective Cain?" Skulduggery asked her, letting her lead for the first time in her life. He was proud of her; she maintained her courage and her wits, even when it seemed hopeless. He was quietly smug with how well he'd taught her.

"We need to go see Finbar Wrong."

_**Just to let everyone know, I had no idea where this chapter was going to end up, but the place it ended up sure was a weird one! The introduction of Grimm even surprised me, and I'm the one writing! Notorious Grimm is my own character, and now I've got a real twist to work into the plot! :D Can't wait to get started on Chapter 11!**_


	11. Burning Questions

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 11...**_

_**Sorry about the mistake in Chapter 9! I totally missed that, silly me uploaded Chapter 5 twice! Anyway that's all fixed now and I'm sorry for the trouble it caused to any understanding of the story! Thanks for all the amazing reviews and the supportive pm's I've been receiving, never expected such a brilliant response (: As usual, all characters except Wistful and Notorious Grimm are all Derek Landy's idea (: I hope you like this chapter! Have fun, and I'll try to limit the mistakes this time (: **_

oO0Oo

Skulduggery rapped on Finbar Wrong's door with gloved knuckles, loud enough to disturb the dead in their graves. Several people turned and frowned at the disturbance as they walked past, tutting to show their displeasure. Skulduggery's facade was blue eyed, with sandy blonde hair, looking like he was maybe twenty two, twenty three years old. His brow was puckered, eyebrows bunched together with stress.

"Finbar!" he called. "Finbar Wrong!"

The door opened and a skinny punk in a _Johnny Rotten_ t-shirt and bare feet opened the door to the tattoo parlour, a far away look in his eyes. Then again, Finbar _always_ looked far away. A slow smile spread across his face, like he'd never been happier to have somebody hammer at his door.

"Skul-man! Hey! Long time no see, the little one's missing his Godfather! Nice of you to drop by, man!"

"This isn't a social visit, Finbar."

"That's cool," the punk nodded, tongue tracing his lip ring. "I get it, don't wanna come off all friendly and stuff. Wouldn't want to look soft in front of the Godson, right, Skul-man?"

"I am not your child's Godfather. I never agreed to it," Skulduggery said abruptly, and Finbar's dreamy smile darkened into one of confusion.

"Huh...that's funny. I could've sworn you said..." He shrugged. "Ahh well, the nipper won't mind. He's tough, like my Sharon, y'know?"

"I have no idea who Sharon is. I've never met your wife."

"Well you gotta meet her one day, Skul-man! How's about you come round, like, for tea some night? Get to know her and little...uh...to know...err..."

"You forgot your kid's name?" Valkyrie asked, eyebrows shooting towards her hair line. Finbar never failed to surprise her; he was literally the definition of a scatterbrain.

"It'll come to me," the Sensitive answered, waving a dismissive hand, before scratching his head. "I hope it will, at least...What were we talking about?"

"Can we come in?" Skulduggery asked, and Valkyrie didn't miss the irritated edge to his voice. Talking to Finbar needed a lot of time, and even more patience. Skulduggery, it seemed, didn't have either.

"Sure, sure, Skul-man. No point you standing on the street all day is there?" He moved aside to let Valkyrie and the Skeleton Detective into the tattoo parlour, gesturing to the remaining seats. "Can I get you anything; drinks? Sandwiches? Uh...skeleton food?"

"No thanks, I'm good," Valkyrie said, fighting a smile. Skeleton food, that was funny.

"Even if there were such a thing as _skeleton food_, I wouldn't be eating it, Finbar. I have no stomach to digest it."

"Ahh...that's cool, man. I mean, if you're not hungry, then okay. No skin off my nose." Finbar sat on a worn leather chair in the corner, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"What do you not understand, Finbar? _I am a skeleton_. I _can't eat_-"

"Okay, this is getting beside the point!" Valkyrie cut off her partner before he had a chance to offend the Sensitive. Skulduggery had always been sharp with Finbar, but his anger was usually concealed behind a mask of egotistical, witty composure. His open annoyance worried her somewhat. "Finbar, we need to know if your visions about Darquesse have changed."

"Dark _who_?" The punk looked puzzled for a second, before the fog lifted. "_Ohhhh_, you mean the chick that destroys the planet?"

"Yeah," Val nodded, watching Skulduggery out of the corner of her eye; he was still and silent, fists clenched.

"Yeah, sure Valerie. I was gonna tell the Skul-man but he never came by so..."

"It's Valkyrie. What did you see?"

"Some big dude with wings took the chick's place. She doesn't appear in my visions anymore. I reckon the winged guy kicks her off this mortal coil so he can kill the world himself." Finbar shrugged. "Either way, s'not like it bothers me, man. I'm ready to face The Man."

"Can you give us any more than that?" Valkyrie pressed, suddenly worried for her own life. "Do you see him kill her?"

"Nah. I don't see anything but him and his wings. Oh, he kills Skull-man. Like, _forever_, y'know?"

"_Kills_ him?" she gasped, horrified.

"Yup," Finbar Wrong nodded. "Like, stone dead. As far as the Winged Menace is concerned, Skul-man kicks the bucket and a whole load of shadows come out of him and start beating on the angel guy. Then you show up, Valerie, and my vision ends."

"It's _Valkyrie,_ with a 'K', and what shadows? What exactly happens to Skulduggery?"

"I don't see how Skul-man dies. He's just on the ground, and you're looking real upset about something. Angry, even. You jump on the chicken man and everything explodes in blackness. That's right around where I pass out." Finbar shrugged. "You want a tattoo?"

"What? No." Frustration and fear bubbled inside Valkyrie; Finbar was annoying her and the prospect of Skulduggery's impending demise terrified her. For his part, the skeleton remained silent, false face impassive.

Valkyrie mulled over the information she'd just received from the befuddled tattoo artist in front of her, storing bits away in her mind, trying to process what she'd heard. So Notorious Grimm could possibly murder Skulduggery? She got that. She showed up looking upset? Yeah, she got that too. She jumped on Grimm looking angry? Yup, she could understand that. But the shadows escaping Skulduggery and beating up the demigod? Now that she didn't get. Was it Lord Vile trying a last, desperate attempt at survival? Was Skulduggery actually dead? Or just out of action?

"Did you actually see the winged guy destroy the planet?" she asked.

"Yeah. Like, before I pass out, the blackness rips huge chunks out of the planet around everyone. Pity Skul-man's dead by then; he might've been able to stop it."

"Well, at least we know Grimm's definitely here to kill us all," Valkyrie muttered.

"So that's his name? Grimm?"

"Notorious Grimm, yeah."

"I've heard of him."

"You have?" Valkyrie asked, surprised.

"Nope."

oO0Oo

Skulduggery was silent for a long time. He remained speechless in the Bentley, all the way to the Roarhaven Sanctuary, and for several hours after that, while Ghastly, Erskine and Madame Mist dragged Valkyrie into Erskine's office and quizzed her on what the Sensitive had seen. He was still silent when they let her leave the room, and she found him sat in an empty corridor, on a hard plastic chair, head resting against the wall, still quiet. She couldn't take it anymore.

"For God's sake, Skulduggery! Will you say something?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh, were you talking to me?"

"You've been silent for _four hours_, Skulduggery."

"I have? What time is it?"

"Quarter to two," Valkyrie answered, checking the time on her phone.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Are you alright?"

"Quite frankly, I'm terrified."

"You're...you're _scared_?" She couldn't believe it; his defences were down. No witty remarks, no inspirational jokes, not even any sarcasm. He was telling the truth. She took his gloved hand in hers and squeezed gently, willing him to find that reassuring cockiness that always seemed to surface in their darkest hours. It didn't arrive.

"Yes, I am. So is everyone else who knows about this. Notorious Grimm is beyond dangerous. He didn't just break my body and mind, Valkyrie; he broke my spirit, too. I was a changed man after he was finished with me. For over a hundred years, I barely spoke to anyone. It took me so long to return to normal. The things he can do are...unimaginable."

Valkyrie tried to get him to open up. She tried to get him to talk to her, but Skulduggery remained unreachable, despite her best efforts. He couldn't put her through the reality of the things Grimm had done to him. It would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Skulduggery, please talk to me. Let me help."

"I can't. By the way, we need to go back to your house."

"We do?"

"Did you forget that your parents are meeting Gordon today?" Skulduggery cocked his head, a flicker of his old self returning.

"Actually, yes. I completely forgot. What time are they coming round?" Successfully distracting Valkyrie, Skulduggery relaxed and got to his feet, taking her hand properly, twisting his fingers through hers. He tilted his head to kiss her, and she eagerly responded, soothing his unexpected fear.

"We have an hour to get home," he told her.

"Well then we'd better go now if we want to warn Gordon before they get here."

oO0Oo

Gordon stood at the top of the stairs, just out of sight, wringing his transparent hands nervously. He'd never met his newest niece, and he hadn't seen Melissa and his brother for _years_. Valkyrie smiled at him, and again the pang in his chest reminded him of how much he regretted not having children. She was everything he'd wanted in a daughter, and he was proud of her. Or at least, he was proud when there was room in his head for it. At that particular moment, his nerves overshadowed everything else.

"Gordon, calm down, okay? They're still your family, and Alice can't wait to meet you." Valkyrie's long, dark hair was tied up in a ponytail, held back off her face for the first time in months.

"Yes, but what if I don't live up to their expectations? What if they expect to see the real, solid Gordon?"

"You _are_ the real Gordon, solid or not."

"But they might not see it that way!" he panicked.

"Is Gordon having another existential crisis?" Skulduggery asked, coming up the huge staircase to stand behind Valkyrie, his arms gently wrapped around her, the facade gone.

"Only his third in the last ten minutes."

"I can't help feeling inadequate," Val's uncle whined.

"Gordon, your ego more than makes up for what you lack in substance," Skulduggery pointed out, and abruptly, Echo Gordon stopped panicking and grinned.

"You're exactly right. My ego _is_ impressively large."

"Why does he sound like you all of a sudden?" Valkyrie asked her skeleton boyfriend.

"Because I'm an amazing role model."

The doorbell rang before Valkyrie could answer, and Skulduggery slipped away to let her family in.

"You okay?" she asked her uncle.

"I am now; Skulduggery pointed out my brilliance and now I don't understand why I was panicking."

"Mr Skellington!" Alice squealed from downstairs, and a muffled grunt from Skulduggery made Valkyrie chuckle.

"Your niece is here," she told her uncle.

"If she loves a living skeleton that much, then I have nothing to worry about," Gordon smiled, and began to float down the stairs. Valkyrie watched him go, and when he reached the bottom she bounded down after him.

"Gordon!" Des exclaimed. "You're really here!"

"Desmond, it's good to see you. It's been so long, and I see you've given me another beautiful little niece to dote on!" Gordon made his way over to Alice, who was swinging off Skulduggery's arm. She shot a gap-toothed grin at her transparent uncle, and scrambled up Skulduggery's side to sit on his shoulders.

"Are you my uncle Gordon?" she asked.

"I am indeed. You must be Alice, my newest niece."

"Hallo," she beamed, sticking out a little hand.

"I would shake your lovely little hand, but I can't actually touch you."

"Why not?"

"Try it and see," Gordon challenged mischievously, holding out his see-through fingers. Al went to grab it, and her fingers slipped straight through. Her eyes widened and she did it again, before sticking her hand right into his head. She giggled, delighted.

"I think she likes you, Gordon," Melissa chuckled, smiling at her youngest daughter.

"I like her too." He put his face close to the little girl's ear. "Don't tell Steph, but you're my new favourite niece," he stage whispered.

"Charming!" Valkyrie tutted.

"You're my favourite uncle too! I don't like Grumpy, he's in a bad mood all the time," Al told Gordon.

"Grumpy?"

"She means Fergus," Desmond grinned, and Gordon started laughing.

"Desmond, Melissa," he said between chuckles. "Congratulations; you've successfully created another brilliant child."

oO0Oo

Skulduggery had cooked dinner for Valkyrie's family, and Val had never tasted anything so _good_. He'd made spaghetti and meatballs, and set up the large, luxurious dining room for a family meal, using Gordon's best silver ware and china to decorate the ornate oak table, matching the cream seat cushions, the snowy Persian rug, and the ivory curtains. The walls were a soft golden colour, well matched against the dark wood furniture. Gordon had a good eye.

They all sat round the table together, even Skulduggery and Gordon, though neither of them could eat, and enjoyed Skulduggery's amazing culinary genius.

"Who made this?" Desmond asked round a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Skulduggery did," Valkyrie boasted proudly.

"This is very good, Mr Pleasant," Melissa complimented him.

"Skulduggery, if you will," he answered, tilting his head, oozing charm. Valkyrie watched her mother melt, and grinned smugly. If given a chance, there really was no one who could resist his honey-smooth voice and magnetising personality.

"Skulduggery, where on earth did you learn to cook like this?"

"Somebody had to feed Valkyrie properly; if she'd had her own way, she'd live on takeaway pizza and chocolate," Skulduggery teased gently, before hesitating. "Mrs Edgley-"

"Melissa will do just fine."

"Melissa; would you rather I called your daughter Valkyrie or Stephanie in front of you?"

"What do you normally call her?"

"Valkyrie."

"Then Valkyrie she stays," Val's mother said, ignoring the scowls her husband pulled, spaghetti hanging out of his mouth as he struggled not to make a mess.

Amicable chatter filled the room, and Valkyrie sat back smugly as a space in her family opened up for Skulduggery to slide neatly into. Her parents loved him, even her dad, and Gordon slipped right back into the loop like he'd never left it, enjoying the company of his brother for the first time in eight years. This part of her life, at least, was perfect, and all too soon, her parents had to leave.

"We'll drop by again soon, sweetheart," Valkyrie's mother said, kissing her cheek and smiling fondly. She even went to give Skulduggery a gentle hug.

"We'll be by _very_ soon; I've _got_ to try some more of your cooking, Skul," Desmond grinned, shaking the skeleton's gloved hand.

"I'd be delighted to join you again, Des," Skulduggery replied smoothly, nodding respectfully.

"Bye Stephie, bye Uncle Gordon, bye Mr Skellington," Alice trilled, and latched onto Skulduggery's leg. It took a further five minutes to pry her loose, and then they were alone again, once Valkyrie had waved off her parents and her little sister.

"Alice _likes_ you," Valkyrie said to Skulduggery.

"It would seem so," he said, and she heard the fond smile in his voice. "Alice is a handful, but she's delightful."

"That she is," Gordon grinned. "I haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time," he said dreamily, and drifted off, heading back to his study.

"Well, somebody had a good night," Val grinned.

"Gordon hasn't had a reason to smile like that for a long time."

"Neither have we; my parents love you! You've got my mother wrapped around your little finger."

"Well I_ am_ rather charming," Skulduggery answered, taking a step closer to Valkyrie and leaning in to kiss her. She sighed and pressed her lips to his teeth, forgetting all her troubles and revelling in the simplest part of her life. Her family and Skulduggery made everything worthwhile for her; without them, she was nothing.

"I'll be right back," he said after a moment, and left to find Gordon. He had a question, a burning question that had been driving him insane all night. He had to ask it, but he needed to consult Gordon before he made any decisions.

"Gordon?"

"What can I do for you, Skulduggery?"

"I...need your help." He sat on the edge of Gordon's desk.

"What could I possibly help you with? It's usually_ me_ asking for _your_ help," Gordon said, surprised. It wasn't like Skulduggery to need any kind of guidance other than his own; the man had a knack for making the right choices.

"There's something...bugging me. It has been all night. Tell me, if you were given a death sentence that you don't think you can change, and there was one thing that you wanted more than anything in the world, would you ask for it? Despite the consequences?"

"Skulduggery, I told you years ago in my will, 'Your path is your own and I have no wish to sway you.' Is this really not a question you can answer for yourself?"

"Not this time; I can't decide. It's been on my mind for a year or so now, but I've been told I don't have long left. A powerful Sensitive has seen my death happen, apparently."

"Okay." Gordon watched his best friend intently.

"I suppose I need to ask for your help, as my best friend, Gordon. What would you do if you thought you were going to die, and you had the choice between acting on your desires, and leaving them to avoid the consequences?"

"I'd say go for it, but I don't know what exactly it is that you're wanting to _do_." Skulduggery cocked his head to the side for a second, and dug into his jacket pocket. He slid the object across the desk top, and Gordon's eyebrows raised in surprise. A slow, brilliant smile spread across his face. "Ah. I understand now," he said.

"And?"

"If you let this slip by, you'd be a fool."

"You think?"

"I don't think, Skulduggery. I _know_."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie couldn't have been sat on the sofa more than five minutes before Skulduggery returned. She didn't know if it was just her, or if he really was as jumpy as he seemed. He sat down beside her, but said nothing; he just put his arms around her when she settled against him. She waited until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"What is it?" she asked.

"What's what?"

"You're in a funny mood. What's wrong?"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, Valkyrie."

"Well, normally you never shut up, but you're quiet now."

"Hmm? I hadn't noticed."

"What is it, Skulduggery?" Valkyrie asked.

"Nothing," he answered. "Except this." He pressed something into her palm. It was a velvet-covered cube. She frowned and opened the box, to find the most beautiful, white gold ring with a delicate, sparkling diamond set in the centre, a smaller ruby glistening at either side, nestled in the plush gold cushion. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Marry me, Valkyrie."


	12. Meeting Grandpa

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 12...**_

_**Well the response to the last chapter was amazing! (: Yes there are more chapters to come, and hopefully more stories in the future, though I don't think I'll quite be able to match the quality of this one :L Anyway, Derek Landy owns all the characters except Wistful and Notorious Grimm (: Read on, find out what Valkyrie's answer is :P**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie stared. She stared some more. Skulduggery waited patiently, fully aware that she was in no condition to speak, and just watched the different emotions flitting across her face as she processed what he'd just asked. He could wait all night, all week even, if he had to. But the need to ask her had been intensified with the mention of Grimm, and when they'd visited Finbar, the news that Skulduggery may die had turned the need into a burning desire. It hadn't been a choice to ask her, but a necessity.

"Skulduggery...I...What...Have you thought this through?" she asked.

"Yes. I've thought of nothing else, Valkyrie."

"Really?" Valkyrie's heart fluttered.

"Yes, really. If you need time to think, then I can wait for as long as you need. But I had to ask you; I had to let you know what I want. It's what I've wanted for almost a year now."

"A...a year? And you never said anything?"

"I didn't think you'd love me back."

"Of course I do, I've loved you since I met you. Granted, it was a different kind of love back then, but you were literally my world, right from day one. I realised that when the Faceless Ones took you through the portal, I just didn't admit it because I was convinced it was impossible." She stopped herself, and shook her head in disbelief. "A _year_. You've wanted to propose to me for a _year_?"

"Yes."

Valkyrie took a deep breath and slid away from Skulduggery slightly, so she was sat next to him, facing him on the sofa, rather than on his lap. She looked at that beautiful, glittering ring, nestled in the box in her shaking hands, and as she was staring she noticed three words, carved elegantly into the delicate band. _Forever and Always._ Her heart squeezed so tight she thought it might burst, and tears sprung into her eyes, threatening to spill over. She hated crying, but the tears were the only way she could express her feelings. Skulduggery stayed silent, allowing her to get the words straight in her head before she answered him, and she was grateful for that. She was grateful for him being so patient, for him being kind and caring, and for the way he knew how to make her laugh. She was grateful for every case they'd spent together, every criminal they'd put away together, all the times they'd saved the world. She wanted more; she had to have more. She needed him like she needed air; that much she knew. Everything seemed to make perfect sense to her.

"Skulduggery Pleasant, I want nothing more than to marry you," she whispered, and he cocked his head, hardly able to believe what she'd said.

"Was that a yes?" he asked, voice uneven with barely concealed joy.

"Yes. I said yes." Valkyrie was smiling now, and the tears spilled over as Skulduggery,_ her fiancé_, took the ring from its plush bed, and slid it gently onto the ring finger of her left hand.

"A perfect fit," he murmured, marvelling at how the thought of her being his forever made him feel. He felt...complete, or as complete as a skeleton _could_ feel, anyway. And she was looking at him like nothing else in the world mattered, her right hand idly stroking the beautiful engagement ring, the ring _he'd_ put there, the ring she'd accepted. It hadn't been Fletcher she'd chosen. It wasn't Caelan she wanted. It was him, Skulduggery Pleasant, the Skeleton Detective, unloved and unwanted for the biggest part of four hundred years. It hit him then. _Valkyrie Cain had agreed to marry him_.

oO0Oo

Valkyrie's phone rang out abruptly, shattering the blissful, peaceful bubble surrounding her and her future husband, and she groaned, delving into her jeans to find it, knowing it would be somebody wanting to interrupt the best evening of her life.

"Hello?"

"Val!" Fletcher yelled from the other end of the phone. Loud crashes and yells sounded from wherever Fletcher was, and it sounded like he was running. She flinched and held it away from her ear. If there was a fight happening at the Sanctuary, Fletcher should've teleported out of there. He knew he was supposed to leave at the first hint of danger; as the last Teleporter, he was too valuable to lose. If he couldn't teleport, that meant he must have been absolutely _terrified_.

"Fletcher? What's up?"

"Sanctuary! _Now_!" And he rang off. The phone went dead. Valkyrie panicked, unable to speak. Was it Grimm? Had he come to cut off her engagement before it could even begin? Was he making his first bid to destroy the planet? Was tonight the night her family and her friends were going to die?

"Valkyrie! Valkyrie, look at me. What's wrong?" Skulduggery asked, turning her head so she was looking at him.

"Fletcher...He can't Teleport out...Something's happening at the Sanctuary!"

"Calm down," Skulduggery instructed pulling her into a hug. It helped; her thoughts cleared a little, and she tried again.

"Something bad is happening at the Sanctuary, Skul," she told him, brown eyes wide. "There was fighting in the background, and Fletcher was _running_; he must be too scared to Teleport out of there. What if it's Grimm, Skulduggery?"

"Hush," he said quietly. "We'll deal with this, Valkyrie. Whatever it is, we'll be okay."

"But what if Finbar was right and Notorious kills you?"

"I will not die before we're married," he vowed.

"So it's okay to die after we're hitched?"

"You know what I mean, Valkyrie," he sighed, and planted a gentle, toothy kiss on her forehead.

"I know," she answered. "But now I've got you, I can't let you go. Even the part of me that's Darquesse won't think about losing you. If you die, Skulduggery, I won't be able to control myself."

"All the more reason for me to stick around," he said brightly, and held out his hand, rising smoothly from the sofa. "Come on, we have bad guys to punch."

oO0Oo

The Bentley screeched to a halt outside Roarhaven Sanctuary, in sight of the stagnant lake and the old pub where The Torment once lived. They jumped out and Valkyrie's hand dipped into her pocket for her Necromancy ring. She considered it for a second, before putting it on the ground and stamping on it, _hard_. It shattered into tiny black crumbs, and the dark energy stored within flowed into Valkyrie's fingertips. She was Darquesse; she didn't need the ring anymore.

A loud crash and muffled cries signalled the fight raging inside the squat, stark, square exterior of the Sanctuary, though the rest of the town remained silent and deserted, as usual. Skulduggery clicked his fingers and a flame burned bright in his palm. Valkyrie summoned fire too, her right hand engulfed by the burning orange light, her left, a flickering blaze of shadows, and together they kicked open the front doors.

Inside there was chaos; bodies of Cleavers and Sanctuary agents were strewn across the floor, some in one piece, with only a single fatal wound, some cut to ribbons, others half burned, and yet more scattered around the foyer in bloody chunks. Valkyrie scowled; Wistful was free. Sounds of fighting deeper in the labyrinth of corridors caught their attention, and Skulduggery motioned for her to follow him.

They passed Erskine's office; the golden desk was the only thing still intact, though there were three deep, ragged ravines scored into the flawless surface, like something particularly strong had dragged its claws across the top. The ornaments and other nick-knacks that once stood atop the desk were fragmented and broken, needle-sharp confetti decorating the polished floor.

The Gaol doors were wide open, hundreds of prisoners dead in their cells, blood coating the walls and floor. Some were alive, other cells were entirely empty. Skulduggery and Valkyrie ran onwards, the sound of the disruption growing louder.

Somebody shot round the corner, and Valkyrie stuck out a hand, finding purchase on the figure's clothes. She grabbed the back of the person's t-shirt and slammed him into the ground, burning fist raised to end any attack before it had a chance to begin.

"...Val?" Fletcher gasped.

"Fletcher!"

"I thought you weren't going to come!" Fletcher was terrified; he wasn't used to fighting, not when he could Teleport himself out of danger at a seconds notice. Right now, he wasn't calm enough to get himself out.

"Of course I came," Valkyrie answered. "You asked for my help." She let the flames, both darkness and light, die out, and held out a hand to let him up. He took it and she tugged him to his feet, surprised when he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"I thought I was going to die," he whispered.

"Never, Fletcher. Find somewhere safe, calm down, and get out of here, okay? But be ready to come get us all at a moment's notice, got it?"

"Yeah," he nodded, and his eyes flashed to the ring sparkling on Valkyrie's left hand. He looked at her for a long moment, then at the skeleton detective. "...Congratulations," was all he said.

"Uh...Thanks, Fletch." What? No yelling, or screaming, or telling her how unnatural it was to love a dead man? Well, this was...new. She tried a tentative smile, and he returned it weakly, before taking a deep breath, closing his eyes, and disappearing with a soft_ whump_ as the air rushed to fill the space he no longer occupied.

"Well, at least he's still alive," Skulduggery muttered, as a set of double doors leading into a large hall were thrown open and Tanith Low was flung through them, cursing at the top of her lungs. She hit the ground hard, and scrambled to her feet.

"Give me back my _sword_ you son of a godforsaken _bitch_!" She screamed, totally oblivious to Valkyrie and Skulduggery's presence, before she sprinted back into the room and launched herself at Billy-Ray Sanguine, who was trying his best to handle Tanith's blade, and failing. Her boot heel connected with his face, knocking his sunglasses loose and revealing those horrible blank holes where his eyes should've been.

"Now calm down, lil' darlin'," he was saying as he swung the sword clumsily, staggering under Tanith's onslaught. "Just wait a damn minute!"

"Give it _back_!" she yelled, and jumped, wrapping her legs around his head and leaning back with all her weight. Sanguine flipped and hit the ground. _Hard_. Tanith kicked him viciously and snatched up her sword, jabbing it into his calf. The Texan howled in pain and curled up, trying to defend himself against anymore jabs of that wicked point. A moment later, the ground began to crack and he sank out of sight.

Ghastly, Erskine, Madame Mist, a whole bunch of other agents, and a troupe of Cleavers were battling something in the centre of the room, but Valkyrie didn't have time to think about it, because Wistful was running towards her, hands outstretched, blood splattering her face and streaking her hair. Val danced back, avoiding the skeleton-crippling fingers, and slammed a boot into the woman's stomach, following up with an elbow to the collar bone. Wistful tried to get Valkyrie into a muscle tearing hold, but Val wriggled out of it and tipped Wistful onto her back, just like Skulduggery had taught her. She risked a quick glance to see where he'd gone, and found him fighting Melancholia.

"I told you she wouldn't be scared for long," Wistful taunted, jumping up and circling Valkyrie. "She went to him, Darquesse. She went to my little friend Grimm. She got him to help, and now here we are. Why don't you join us? I'm sure your great grandfather would just _love_ to meet you!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Valkyrie slammed the heel of her palm into Wistful's already broken nose, and followed up with a head butt, making the woman stagger again.

"Grimm is the Last of the Ancients," Wistful smiled, fresh blood pouring from her nose. "You are descended from him, and if you look just over there, you'll see him."

Valkyrie followed Wistful's directions, unable to help herself, and saw a dozen Cleavers singed to dust by a kind of energy she'd never seen before. It sizzled violet and spread out around the thing that she took to be Grimm, melting and boiling all in its path.

"Isn't your granddaddy a real doll?" Wistful simpered. "Of course, he won't want to spare your life, though he might if you give yourself over to that darkness inside of you. He'd be delighted to see what a little monster his grandchild became."

"I am not related to Notorious Grimm," Valkyrie spat, and leapt, spinning quickly and slamming her foot into Wistful's ear. The woman hit the ground and Valkyrie pushed at the air, hard enough that when it hit Wistful, she skidded across the room like a ragdoll, her smug smile gone. She blacked out and Valkyrie turned to help Skulduggery.

"Nice kick," Skulduggery grunted, snapping his palm at Melancholia. A wall of shadow came up to absorb the wave of fire he sent in her direction, and sharpened into little darts. Valkyrie threw up her own walls, catching the darts and sending them back, in time for Skulduggery to push both palms flat towards Melancholia. She shot backwards, lifted off her feet, but the shadows ensured she landed softly. She smiled, the ragged scars and symbols creasing on her sickly, pale skin.

Her eyes glowed red, growing brighter as Grimm claimed the lives of two Sanctuary agents. Val recognised one as Rowland Nymph, a charming, dark haired young man who she'd become friends with recently, just as his head was separated from his body by a slice of blackness. Cleavers leapt in more waves to attack their enemy, functioning as one, dangerous unit. Valkyrie drank in the death and the energy inside of her flared up. She raised from the ground a few inches.

"Is this the return of the astounding Darquesse?" Melancholia trilled sarcastically, and Valkyrie found her darker, confident side answering.

"She never left," Darquesse beamed, and with a lazy wave, she slammed Melancholia into the ceiling and let her drop. The woman hit the ground with a loud, sickening thud, and Darquesse saw Notorious Grimm strike down all those around him and smile. Anger bubbled and a block of solid black crashed down upon Melancholia once, twice, three times, until Darquesse was sure she wouldn't get up. She took in the still forms of the three Elders, Ghastly included, the countless agents, the Cleavers, Tanith, all unconscious and bleeding from their noses and ears, and the anger became fury.

She watched as Skulduggery moved to stop Grimm and was blasted out the way, swatted like an insignificant bug. He hit the ground and lay still, leaving Darquesse alone with Grimm. The evil in her rose up, and that planet-killing strength fed her magic. Darquesse fought the urge to release it and concentrated instead on drawing it into herself, concentrating the power right in the centre of her being, ready to fight.

"Who are you?" Notorious Grimm asked. He was tall and built like Mr Bliss, though he had pale, greyish skin and eyes that glittered yellow. Two large, curving wings with ruffled feathers protruded from his back, twitching gently with every movement he made. His chest and feet were bare; he wore only a pair of faded black jeans. He looked like a destroying angel, stood in the centre of the vast, round hall, bodies and chunks f broken furniture everywhere.

"My name is Darquesse," Darquesse answered; with this much power inside her, it was impossible to see herself as Valkyrie still. Besides, she didn't want him knowing her taken name.

"Ahh, the fabled killer of this pitiful planet, no doubt?"

"That's me, yes." Grimm laughed, not a pleasant sound.

"You'll have to go through me first, Darquesse."

A raging stream of pure black pulsed from his eyes and mouth, and Darquesse was thrown backwards, the ground scraping her forearms where her sleeves rolled up. She felt several ribs break; one punctured a lung. Even as she got to her feet to hit him back, she was healing rapidly. She tilted her head at the man with the big black wings, and flicked her wrist. A thick blade of shadows shot forth at blinding speed and lopped off one of those beautiful feathered limbs. It fell to the ground, but became nothing more than black smoke before it even got halfway through its descent. In less than the blink of an eye, the smoke assembled itself back into the wing, no longer separated from his body. He raised his eyebrows.

"You actually managed to wound me, albeit insignificantly," the demigod told her.

"You talk too much." Darquesse folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to shut up.

"And you aren't strong enough to kill me."

"Want to bet?"

"I have no interest in bets. I do, however, have an interest in your bloodline. Wistful and Melancholia told me about you, the descendant of the Last of the Ancients. Do you know who_ I_ am?"

"A very annoying man?"

"I _am_ the Last of the Ancients, which means if it were not for me, _you_ wouldn't exist."

"Yeah, Wistful mentioned that you might be my great grandad, but to be quite honest, I don't care. I don't like you." Darquesse side-stepped to avoid a lashing, shadowy tentacle he sent her way, and responded with one of her own. He snapped his fingers and her attack faded to nothing.

"Feisty, but weak. Such a shame, you would've made an excellent descendant." He cocked his head. "Tell me; have you experienced the Surge?"

"Why should I tell you anything?" Darquesse frowned. The demigod smiled.

"You haven't, have you? Which means your full potential is still waiting to be unleashed on this world. But no matter, you won't be able to destroy me."

"What makes you so sure I won't?" she countered quickly.

"This."

And the unique, purple energy struck her, burning away at her body, stripping away nerve endings and muscle tissue, melting her eyes in their sockets. Her blood boiled, insides cooking, and her brain liquidised in her skull. She screamed until her throat burned away, the agony too much to bear, and the functioning part of her mind, however close to destruction it was, realised that Skulduggery could've been put through this a thousand times, and survived. Her last thought was of his torture, as her charred, mangled corpse hit the ground. Notorious Grimm chuckled.

"Too easy."


	13. Melancholy Nights

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 13...**_

_**Sorry about the wait (got grounded) but Chapter 13 is up! Hope you've enjoyed the story so far! All characters except Wistful, Notorious Grimm and Rowland Nymph (the guy from chapter 12) are Derek Landy's (: I didn't make Skulduggery Pleasant, but I wish I had :L Read on! (:**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie Cain saw herself burn. She saw her ruined body drop to the ground, only the protective clothing, her engagement ring, and the blood red bracelet survived that blast of power. She saw herself die, and prepared herself to move on to wherever she was meant to go. Nothing was compelling her to remain; all ties to family and friends meant nothing when separated from them by death. She wanted to move on, to forget all her worries. She began to drift, to float, to leave it all behind. She was free, careless, nothing more than a leaf blown in a breeze as she gave herself to whatever force was claiming her departing soul...

But Darquesse wasn't ready to give up. Valkyrie was tethered to her body, unable to break loose, by the evil inside of her as it set to work on repairing the damage. Organs regenerated quickly, veins spread out through newly formed muscle tissue. Skin covered the corpse again and blood pooled in dried up arteries. Lungs knitted themselves together, eyes solidified beneath closed lids, long, dark hair sprouted from the head, and eyelashes grew with fingernails and teeth. But the body was still just a body. Valkyrie still struggled to leave, fighting with all her strength, but Darquesse kept holding on, like a snagging branch caught in delicate clothing, dragging her back, little by little. She was pulled back into the corpse that used to be her, trapped inside the prison of skin and bone.

Working against death, Darquesse forced the dead heart to beat, the broken mind to think, and empty lungs to take a breath. She pushed blood through veins, and encouraged muscles to twitch. The body took a breath, and Valkyrie's soul became one with herself.

oO0Oo

Somebody was stroking her hair. Valkyrie could feel the gentle tugs of someone's fingers through the deep brown locks. She could hear muffled sounds, getting clearer as her senses returned. Her eyelids flickered and finally, blurred images registered in her mind. Little by little, her eyesight began to function properly, and she saw the shapes of Cleavers carrying the wounded and dead from the Sanctuary Hall. Her friends, battered and bleeding, were still alive, and gathered round her. It was Skulduggery cradling her, and when she saw him, she ignored the ache and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, kissing him passionately. She'd never felt such relief to see anyone in her life. He chuckled into her ear, his relief too potent for words. His beautiful Valkyrie had survived, and for the first time since he'd found out about her existence, Skulduggery Pleasant silently thanked Darquesse for saving his love.

"Never, _never_ scare me like that again, Valkyrie Cain," he muttered, and she sat up, cringing against the sharp stabs in her bones.

"Sorry," she answered sheepishly, before frowning. "It was so much easier to bring myself back when Vile killed me the first time round. This took so much _effort_."

"You were killed by a demigod, Valkyrie. Of _course_ it's going to take some effort. By rights, you shouldn't even be _able_ to heal yourself after that." Valkyrie opened her mouth to answer back, but she was cut off by a gentle, pained voice.

"As Grand Mage, I'm ordering everyone to go see Doctor Nye. Now," Erskine said quietly, nursing a shattered collar bone and several deep cuts. Three Cleavers stood round him, scythes raised. "No more talking until we're certain nobody's going to die."

A murmur of agreement flitted through the small group, and one of the Cleavers stooped to pick Valkyrie up off the ground. Ghastly helped Skulduggery to his feet and began to hobble towards the Infirmary.

"Grand Mage! Grand Mage!" A shout from behind drew Erskine's attention.

"What, Absalom?" The new Administrator prodded a still form on the ground, cautious and careful.

"This one's alive," he called. Valkyrie craned her neck to see who it was, and found Melancholia still on the floor. Wistful and Notorious had left her behind.

"Arrest her," Erskine answered. "And put her straight in the Gaol, she's already wanted for the attempted murder of hundreds of figures in high places. She will not get a trial."

oO0Oo

Nye checked Valkyrie's pulse for a moment, before moving on to deal with Erskine's collar bone. Skulduggery sat in the chair beside her, toying idly with her hand, waiting for her to feel better. She still ached, but she was certainly more alert than before, and she felt a strange energy tingling in her fingertips. She smiled at her future husband, and Tanith wandered in.

"Hey guys," she said, sitting on the end of Val's bed.

"Tanith," Skulduggery answered.

"Hi Tan."

"How're you feeling, Val?"

"...Stronger, actually. A lot stronger. More powerful than I've ever felt before."

"Nice. And what about you, Skulduggery?"

"I'm okay."

Tanith's eyes fell on the ring sparkling on Valkyrie's left hand. A small smile pulled at her mouth.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Like what?"

"Like that big sparkly rock on Val's finger. Skulduggery Pleasant, did you pop the question?"

"I did."

"And you agreed, Valkyrie?"

"I did." Tanith and Valkyrie shared a look, and Skulduggery put his hands over where his ears used to be. Their excitement bubbled over at the same time, and both women let out an ear-splitting squeal. Tanith hugged Valkyrie tightly, and then grabbed Skulduggery for a hug too.

"What on earth is with all the _noise_?" Ghastly asked, wandering over, his right hand wrapped in a bandage.

"Skulduggery and Valkyrie are getting _married_!" Tanith squealed, her grin so wide she felt like it was going to split her face in half.

"Married? Really? Congratulations," Ghastly grinned. Valkyrie knew that he'd congratulate Skulduggery properly later, when they weren't sat in the Sanctuary Infirmary, in front of countless injured agents and a scowling Doctor Nye.

"Nice one, Skulduggery," Erskine grinned. Valkyrie felt herself blushing, until she realised she hadn't told her parents. The colour drained from her face.

"Valkyrie? Are you alright?" Skulduggery asked, suddenly worried. He sat forwards and clutched her hand gently. Valkyrie groaned and hid her face in her free hand.

"We didn't tell my parents, Skul. My dad is _not_ going to like this."

"Ah...Yes I can see why that would worry you."

"Doesn't it worry _you_?"

"On the contrary, it terrifies me. I'm just better at hiding it than you."

"Does it scare you as much as me dying?" Valkyrie asked quietly, and Tanith sidled away with Ghastly, leaving them alone.

"Not even close. I thought I _did_ lose you, Valkyrie. The very idea of such a possibility drove me half insane with worry. When you took that first breath I actually thanked Darquesse for existing."

"_You_ thanked _Darquesse_? That's how afraid you were?" Valkyrie couldn't believe it.

"Yes, that's how afraid I was of losing you."

"You know what's not good? I have the most awful feeling that we'll be seeing him again."

"So do I."

"You know what else? I think next time he's going to kill me."

"He's done it once already."

"Well, yeah, but I'm not strong enough to heal myself like that again; the bad part of me had a hard time holding onto the good part of me. I...I _wanted_ to go, Skulduggery. It, it hurt to leave you, to leave everyone, but it felt...it felt like whatever was waiting for me, it seemed so much more _important_. It doesn't now, obviously. I'm glad to be alive and with you and everything, but it was like all my sense just left, and Darquesse was the only rational thing inside of me."

"I know what you mean."

"You do?"

You're talking to a man who's been resurrected more times than Jesus himself, Valkyrie."

"Ah. Point taken." Val turned her head to look at him out of the corner of her eye. "What kept _you_ here?"

"Vile did, just like Darquesse had you anchored to this world. It seems our darker halves aren't quite finished here," he told her, keeping his voice low.

"Hmm," Valkyrie answered, worried, and then shook it off, tired of feeling bad. She was a twenty-year-old woman, with her whole life ahead of her, and she had just gotten engaged to be married, to a wonderful, charming, funny, sexy man, which he was, even if he _was_ a skeleton. She should be _happy_.

"No more depressing stuff, okay? I want to enjoy my engagement for a while," she chuckled. Skulduggery hesitated.

"...I was actually thinking we should set a date," he said slowly. Valkyrie's eyebrows shot upwards.

"So soon?"

"Well, you know; end-of-the-world-crisis and all that. I hate to be the pessimist, but any one of us could die soon. And I was rather hoping the wedding could take place with _all_ our friends present."

"Well, you certainly changed your mind; I thought you wanted to take things slow when we first got together?" Valkyrie grinned. Skulduggery inclined his head, and she could tell he was smiling.

"That's what I told myself, yes, but apparently my common sense isn't involved in this relationship."

"Well in that case, when were you thinking?"

"How does Halloween sound?" Skulduggery asked, almost reluctant to tell her just _how_ early he wanted it to happen.

"How fitting, getting married to a dead man on All Hallows Eve," Valkyrie winked. Skulduggery laughed, but said nothing. "That's only a_ week_ away though, Skul. Isn't this going _really_ fast?"

"If you really want to take things slowly, I'm perfectly capable of waiting, Valkyrie. The last eight years with you has dramatically improved my patience." She swatted at him, but he caught her hand and moved from the chair to sit on the bed beside her. She cuddled against him, thinking it over.

Skulduggery decided not to push her any more than necessary; Valkyrie was already burdened with having to tell her parents about her engagement to a living skeleton, and while she'd handled that well, the news that he wanted to wed her so soon could not only upset her parents, but it could upset Valkyrie too. A lot of change in a short amount of time would only be okay with her if she was given a choice. And Skulduggery was fully prepared to give her that choice.

"Why Halloween, anyway?" she asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Oh, because Halloween is also known as Samhain, which is an important date to us mages. Mortals associate it with witches, but actually, Samhain is said to be the date when the first Ancient discovered his magical ability. It's celebrated every year. What better way to celebrate than with a wedding?"

"Wow. That...that's actually a pretty good idea."

"Of course it is, it's_ my_ idea."

"I have one rule." Valkyrie warned.

"And what might that be?"

"No white dresses, okay? I will wear a dress because it's tradition, but _white_? No way."

"No white dresses," he nodded.

"Alright then, it seems we've got a deal, Mr Pleasant," and she kissed him gently on his jaw bone.

oO0Oo

It took six hours for Nye's last patient, Grand Mage Erskine, to be let out of the Infirmary, and he went straight to one of the many meeting rooms in the Sanctuary. This one had a large stone table in the centre, with wooden chairs all around it. Three of the chairs resembled small thrones, and on two of them sat Ghastly Bespoke and Madame Mist. Erskine's own chair was situated between them, and had a higher back than the rest, sticking out like a sore thumb. He rolled his eyes and took a seat, shooting a glare at the smirking Ghastly. The Administrator hovered nearby.

"Grand Mage," he bowed. Erskine tried his best not to elbow Ghastly, who was shaking with laughter; even after years in power, the man still got a kick out of Ravel's elevated treatment. Erskine himself couldn't stand it.

"Absalom. Do me a favour, would you?"

"Yes, Grand Mage?"

"Go fetch me Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Tanith, China and Fletcher. Oh, and have the Cleavers bring Melancholia here. I want her chained up to her eyeballs, do you understand me? If they have to knock her out, then I expect them to do so."

"Certainly, Grand Mage." Absalom bowed low again, and left the room in a hurry. Ghastly was grinning wickedly.

"Yes Grand Mage, no Grand Mage, three bags full Grand Mage," he mimicked.

"Shut up," the Grand Mage glowered, and this time, Erskine _did_ elbow him. Madame Mist rolled her eyes; neither of the two Elder's had seen their fellow Council Member smile, not once in the last three or four years. But then, Children of the Spider never really smiled.

"Why are we confining ourselves in here with the Necromancer Saviour?" Madame Mist questioned from behind her sombre black veil.

"We need answers; she might know more about Grimm. Right now, any information we can get would be an improvement," Erskine replied.

"We should keep some Cleavers in here with her, in case she tries to attack us again. Take no chances," Ghastly warned.

"Don't worry; I have no intentions of letting her harm another person in this Sanctuary."

Ten minutes later the door to the meeting room opened and four Cleavers entered, Melancholia in the middle of them, the hood of her flowing cloak pulled down to expose her face. Her hair was blonde and lank, cropped short in a jagged line just beneath her chin. Her eyes were sunken, with dark circles resting heavily on her cheekbones. The irises of her eyes were a dark red-brown colour, like dried blood, and her skin was deathly white, marred with ragged symbols carved into her flesh from her hairline to her neck, and disappearing down beneath her cloak. She had chains around her ankles, heavy shackles around her wrists, complete with binding spell, and an iron band around her waist, chaining her to each Cleaver. They stood calm and silent around her, scythes drawn and ready, the wicked blades very close to her head. She was led to a chair opposite the council, where she sat, and further chains secured her wrists to its arms. Her guards formed a barrier between her and the door, visored faces invisible behind the helmets.

"What's she doing here?" Valkyrie asked Skulduggery in a whisper as they filed into the room, followed by Tanith Low, Fletcher Renn, and China Sorrows.

"Apparently the Council want to speak to her," he murmured back. They went round the other side of the long stone table, facing Melancholia and the wooden doors behind her, and Ghastly gestured to the seat at his right for Tanith to sit down. She smiled and slid into the velvet-cushioned chair, clasping his hand under the table. Fletcher sat in the remaining chair on Tanith's right, and Skulduggery pulled a chair out for Valkyrie at the opposite end of the table. She sat down and Skulduggery claimed the place between her and Madame Mist. Melancholia kept her eyes on the slate tabletop, scanning the white veins running through its surface.

"Right," Erskine said. "Now that we're all here, let's get down to business. Melancholia." The girl raised her head.

"Grand Mage." Her lip curled.

"Everyone in this room is on your hit list, I presume?"

"Yes. But it's not my hit list. It's _his_, Grimm's. You might have caught me, but he'll kill you all."

"You know what he wants?" Madame Mist asked, her long, painted fingernails tapping rhythmically on the table.

"Yes. He wants the end of the world."

"And how on earth would he benefit from that?" Ghastly put in.

"He's like me; death makes him powerful. He'd kill most of humanity off, and drive the rest as slaves." Melancholia's eyes flashed to Valkyrie. "Funny how I'm the one in chains, when his granddaughter is right here in this room."

"What?" Fletcher asked, his face blank with surprise.

"Didn't you know?" Melancholia asked, feigning innocence. Every head in the room except those of the Cleavers turned to Valkyrie. She swallowed, and Skulduggery squeezed her hand under the table.

"Is it true?" Madame Mist asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I think so." Valkyrie shrugged. "I guess it explains why _I'm_ Darquesse, and not some other random girl from the streets. I guess it makes sense, what, with me being a descendant from the Last of the Ancients. Melancholia said that Grimm _is_ the Last Ancient."

"This is...possibly a very good thing," Skulduggery murmured.

"It is?" Tanith, Fletcher, Ghastly, Erskine and Valkyrie all spoke together.

"Possibly. What if Darquesse is strong enough to bring him down?" Skulduggery murmured. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we'd already had this conversation," she muttered.

"We did, but it's just come to me now. What if the Surge unlocks your full potential? What if you can defeat him? I'm not saying this is something we can completely count on; obviously we need several backup plans, but it's a possibility."

"Hmm...We can discuss this later," Madame Mist said. "For now, we need to know more about our enemy." Attention returned to Melancholia, and Valkyrie felt grateful to be out of the spotlight.

Melancholia refused to give any information, despite all Erskine's best attempts at dragging it out of her. She absolutely refused to budge; her resolve didn't crumble or even begin to crack. Valkyrie was itching to let her power run wild; she could _tear_ the answers from Melancholia if she had to. But she wouldn't; as easy as it would be, it was wrong. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

"I'm asking you once more, Melancholia, before you go to the Gaol for the rest of your life. How did Wistful get in touch with Grimm?" Erskine Ravel asked, frustration thickening his tone.

"I'm getting bored of you repeating yourself, Grand Mage."

"Tell us then," Valkyrie blurted. "Answer us and we won't have to repeat it."

"What makes you think I want to answer _you_?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Valkyrie bristled, catching the double meaning.

"Show me Darquesse. She's the one I want to talk to. Just her." Melancholia shot an unwavering stare at Valkyrie, and the darkness inside her flared and swirled to meet it.

"I_ am_ Darquesse. But I'm Valkyrie too. You don't get one or the other; you want to talk to me, you talk to _all_ of me."

"At least you admit to your nature now," Melancholia muttered.

"Shut up."

"No."

"I want to speak to her. Alone." Valkyrie's temper was getting the better of her; she fought to control it, and Erskine nodded once.

"Alright then," he said. "We'll leave, but the Cleavers stay. Call Absalom to fetch us when you're ready. When you've got what you need, have the Cleavers send her back to the Gaol. _Do not_ set her free. The shackles _must_ stay on." Erskine stood to leave, and his fellow Council members stood with him, their dark robes flowing to the ground. Everyone filed out behind them, and Skulduggery bent to brush his teeth gently against Valkyrie's cheek before he too disappeared, closing the door softly behind him.

"Why only talk to me?" Valkyrie asked. "You hate me; you don't want me to steal your little title."

"The title means nothing now," Melancholia said simply. "You're days away from experiencing the Surge, and when the time comes, the power in you will corrupt you."

"I can handle it," Val answered, her jaw clenching.

"But you don't_ want_ to handle it, do you? I can see it in your eyes, Darquesse. You want to unleash yourself upon the world. Well, I'm here to help you do that." Valkyrie stayed silent. "You can run around with your Sanctuary buddies all you want, but when the Surge reaches you and you realise what you really want, come see me."

"Why would I do that? I _know_ what I want; I want to marry my fiancé and get rid of your nut job friend Grimm. I want to stay with the Sanctuary and my family. I want to be _me_."

"All that power, in your bloodline and in your soul, all of it; it's your heritage. You were meant to be Darquesse. You are meant to stand by Grimm's side as he raises this world from the stain of the mortals. Grimm, Wistful, and myself, are set to rule when the time is right. You could rule with us."

"No way," Valkyrie snarled, shaking her head vehemently.

"_And so could Lord Vile_."


	14. Rejection Sucks

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 14...**_

_**Chapter 14 is up and running now (: Hope you're enjoying it so far, because I am (: Thanks for all the reviews and messages and stuff, really appreciate it! It sounds like I'm begging but advertise this story to your FanFic friends and stuff please! Notorious Grimm, Wistful and Rowland Nymph (briefly mentioned in chapter 12) are my characters, all the rest belong to Derek Landy, who is a genius by the way (:**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie felt her face go blank with shock. How could she know? How? She can't have recognised Skulduggery in the caves; he had the armour and the mask on for most of the time. Besides, even if she_ did_ recognise him, she shouldn't _remember_ it. Valkyrie had made sure she wouldn't remember, and she'd been careful enough to make sure nobody else knew she'd wiped Melancholia's memory. The spell had been simple and effective and Melancholia hadn't even realised what was happening. Had it worn off? It wasn't supposed to wear off, so had Valkyrie done something wrong?

Melancholia smirked, knowing she'd hit a nerve, and fear twisted, cold and sharp, deep in Valkyrie's gut. She fought the almost overpowering urge to lean over the table and snap the blonde woman's neck right there, choosing instead to keep a straight face and plant herself firmly in the depths of denial.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't play dumb with me, Darquesse. I know I'm right."

"My name is Valkyrie Cain. I might be Darquesse, but I still go by the name I chose. And nope, I haven't a clue what you mean." Valkyrie couldn't help the glances she shot towards the silent, impassive Cleavers, surrounding her enemy. Did they know what Melancholia meant? Melancholia leaned forwards and waited, so Valkyrie moved to sit directly in front of her. She proceeded to whisper in Valkyrie's ear, too softly for the Cleavers to pick up on.

"I know the Detective is Lord Vile." As Melancholia confirmed her fears, Valkyrie fought against the bile rising in her throat, her breath hitching somewhere in her chest.

"You don't know anything."

"That's what you think," the woman said, a smug grin fixed onto her pale face, red eyes glowing dully as she sat back and raised her voice to a normal volume.

"What have you been smoking, Mel? Seriously, why on earth would you think that?"

"You're playing dumb again. Grimm knows, Wistful knows, so now _I_ know." She moved to put her hands in her lap, frowning when the shackles securing her wrists to the chair stopped her. The chains securing her clinked against one another. "Wait for the Surge, get married, and then come back to see me, Darquesse. And bring _him_ with you."

"Or else?" Valkyrie regretted asking the second the words left her mouth. Melancholia smiled.

"Grimm lets the secret slip, and we wouldn't want a certain someone to go to prison now, would we?" Valkyrie couldn't answer.

Tears stung at her eyes, threatening to spill over, and fury lashed like a whip inside her mind. She clenched her fists on the tabletop and gritted her teeth, fighting against the moisture glistening in her eyelashes.

"Do we have a deal?" Melancholia asked. Valkyrie stayed silent for a long time, feeling sick to her stomach. When she did finally answer, her voice was hoarse, the words sticking in her throat.

"...We have a deal."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie pushed her chair back, away from the table, scraping the legs against the hard tiled floor, scowling furiously at Melancholia.

"Get her back to the Gaol," she snapped at the Cleavers, and left the room, the tears finally spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. She walked right into Skulduggery.

He caught her gently, preventing her from stumbling, and his gaze fell on the crystal liquid sparkling subtly on her cheeks. He tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.

"Valkyrie, what's the matter? What did she say?" His voice, honey smooth and flowing like liquid gold, was marred with worry.

"She knows, Skulduggery."

"Melancholia? What does she know about you?"

"Not me, _you_. She knows your secret. So do Grimm and Wistful. They all know you're Lord Vile," she said in a low voice, careful to speak quietly.

"Ah...Well that's...definitely not good, but why are _you_ crying?"

"Because she made me strike a deal with her." Skulduggery's arms dropped to his sides and he tilted his head, hollow sockets fixed on her soft brown eyes.

"What deal, Valkyrie?"

"She said I'm days away from the Surge. She told me to unlock my potential, get married, and then go see her." Valkyrie choked back a sob, ignoring the tears drying on her cheeks. "She said if I didn't, she'd tell everyone your secret."

"And are you going to follow this deal through or do the smart thing and let them tell everyone?"

"I'm not the only one she wants; she's expecting you to go too, Skulduggery."

"Well I have no intentions of going to see her." Valkyrie's eyes bugged wide in surprise.

"But if they tell everyone, you'll lose your friends and they'll lock you up until you _die_. I won't let that happen; you've spent centuries trying to make up for what happened during the war. You don't need to be punished any more than you have been. Living without your family for so long is enough, Skulduggery." Valkyrie took his hands in hers. "Whether you go with me or not, I'm going to see her. I will deal with the Surge and then I will go see Melancholia."

"You're not going to see her on your own," the skeleton answered, his fingers tightening protectively around hers.

"Then come with me; we can see what she wants, and we can decide what to do after that. Besides, she'll be in a cage in the Gaol, Skulduggery. What damage could she do?"

"Nobody is going to see her. She can't contact Grimm from her cage."

"If we don't turn up, he'll assume that we don't care and he'll start telling everyone. I will not see you get arrested, Skulduggery. If I have to fight you in order to get to her, I will."

"I don't want to fight you."

"Then come with me!"

"You're _not going_, Valkyrie."

"Fine," she said, and slipped her hands out of his grip, her fingers reaching to remove the engagement ring. "Then I won't marry a condemned man, Skulduggery." She hated herself, she hated herself _so much_. How could she do this to him? To her love? She didn't know what horrible part of her mind had decided to make this move, even Darquesse shied away from the thought, but it was the only thing she had left to bargain with. Skulduggery was fully prepared to go to prison, but she didn't want to marry him just to lose him again. She forced herself to give him the ring back, dropping it into his palm, and she walked away.

oO0Oo

Skulduggery stared, his thoughts blank, unable to process what had just happened. He couldn't accept it, couldn't understand how she could do that to him. It was numb, everything was numb, and he was reminded of the emptiness in the eyes of his murdered child as her slumping corpse hit the ground, all her joy and happiness leaving the emerald globes. The ring was in his hand, sparkling in the harsh artificial light, and every twinkle cut him deeper than the last. Why was it not on Valkyrie's finger? Had she just rejected his proposal? Had she really just walked away from him like that?

Yes. Yes she had. Because it wasn't fair that she was getting married to a man who could be sent to prison just days later. He knew that. She had a perfectly good reason to call off the marriage; she was well within her rights to do so. But it hurt, oh, it _hurt_ to watch her walk away. He hadn't felt such pain since he'd watched his family die. But with this pain came a stark emptiness, the absence of his fury leaving a gaping hole in his life. If he let her disappear, his existence wouldn't be worth living any longer. All the time he'd spent trying to make up for the atrocities his darker half had committed in the war, the years and years of guilt over the lives he'd wrongfully stolen, all that time, he'd been waiting for her. Some part of him had known she was coming; it'd sensed an end to the endless anger and guilt. Now he'd had a taste of her love, now he'd seen the way she thought of him, the caring in her eyes, he couldn't function without it. A life without her was like a life without the sun. He couldn't let her leave.

He took a step without thinking about it, his legs moving before his mind caught up with them, and then he was running down the corridor, trying to find her, the ring clutched tightly in his fist. He found her quickly enough, on her way to the exit, and the gloved hand that wasn't holding the gem closed on her shoulder. She turned swallowed when she saw him.

"You just gave me the ring back," he said in a hollow voice, the pain slamming into him as the words made the action real to him. He fought against the weakness in his knees that threatened to buckle him, to drive him to the ground. If he fell, he wasn't sure he'd get back up; never had he felt so vulnerable.

"I did," she answered, and the blankness she forced into her eyes almost killed him.

"You'd really walk away from me because of this?"

"How would you like it if you married me and then I left and didn't come back? Would it hurt?"

"Yes," he said immediately. She looked at him, waiting. He realised his mistake, he realised the position he'd put her in, and he realised that, if the situations were reversed, he'd find the rest of life to be empty and meaningless. "Ah. I can see why you wouldn't want me to be arrested," he answered eventually.

"Exactly, Skulduggery. I love_ you_, more than anything else on this planet, and to marry you, only for you to be arrested, it'd kill me."

"More than if you were to walk away from me?"

"Yes. At least if I walked away, I could try to move on." Her expression was hard, but her voice cracked on the final two words, betraying how much it hurt to leave him like that. "If I married you and you were carted off to the Gaol to die in prison, I'd spend the rest of my life waiting for a man who was never coming back."

"I'm sorry to put you through that. I...I can't live my life without you there, Valkyrie."

"And _I_ can't live without _you_, Skulduggery."

"So you still want to be my wife?"

"Of _course_ I do, but not if you're prepared to die in prison." Valkyrie trailed a finger gently down his jawbone, his hand moved to hold her there, the long fingers twisting through hers. He struggled with himself for a moment, before giving in to his selfish needs. Better a death with her than a life without; if Grimm wanted to kill them, Skulduggery fully intended to be by her side.

"Valkyrie, I couldn't survive without you. I realise that now. And to tell you the truth, I hard a hard time remaining on my feet when you put that ring back in my hand."

"So you'll go with me?" Hope sparkled beautifully in her chestnut brown eyes.

"If that's what it takes to convince you to become my wife, then yes." She grinned and kissed him gently.

"In that case, can I have my ring back now?" Skulduggery chuckled and slipped it back onto her finger.

"If you keep changing your mind so quickly, I'm going to get whiplash, you know."

"Shut up and kiss me," she grumbled. Skulduggery obliged, holding her tight. When she stopped for breath, he cocked his head to the side.

"What?" she asked. "Is there something on my face?"

"You know I'm never going to let you go again now, don't you?" he asked. "You've left me too many times and in too many ways over the years."

"I think I can deal with that," she grinned, and went to kiss him again, but her legs wobbled and she stumbled. He caught her easily, and she screamed and arched her back as the pain hit. Her yells coursed through him like ice, prickling deep in his bones.

Ghastly and China shot round the corner, Tanith and two Cleavers hot on their tail, rushing to locate the source of the agonised cries. They found Skulduggery picking Valkyrie up off the ground like a child, holding her writhing body tight.

"What happened?" Tanith asked urgently, worry etched onto her face.

"She's going through the Surge," he said, just as another piercing shriek tore through Valkyrie. He struggled to keep a hold on her, and Ghastly called for Doctor Nye. Skulduggery shook his head. "The Surge can't be treated with magic or medicine, Ghastly. The most we can do is get her to the Infirmary, strap her down, and wait it out."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Tanith asked.

oO0Oo

The pain hit Valkyrie like a knife to the stomach and she buckled, the rest of the world fading away. There was just her and that ceaseless, burning _agony_. She'd never felt pain like it, never in her life, not when she was pointed at by Nefarian Serpine, or when Tesseract snapped her spine, not when Melancholia cut her skin to the bone, and not when Grimm had burned her away to nothing, before Darquesse pulled her soul back. It clouded her brain, and robbed her of her sight, overpowering all of her senses. She felt the fabric of the universe tear away and loop itself through her again and again, each time dropping off a little more power, a little more crackling energy that soaked into her soul and lit that flaring pain, feeding the flames in her stomach. She heard the insane whispers of the Faceless Ones, the jerking breath of the Jitter Girls, the evil laughter as Serpine took his last breath, and the screams of Skulduggery as the Dark Gods reshaped his bones. The worst sensation from her past all joined together in that one moment, and still the hurting wouldn't _stop_.

She didn't hear Skulduggery telling her she'd be okay, she didn't feel him lift her from the ground and carry her away. She didn't see her friends round the corner ready to fight for her. She didn't see Nye lean over her and shine a torch in her eyes, and she didn't feel the tight straps holding her down, stopping her from thrashing and hurting herself or those around her.

oO0Oo

Hours passed, feeling like years, and the pain began to dim a little. She could open her eyes and look around, she didn't thrash or scream anymore, and things began to register around her again. She felt Skulduggery's fingers wrapped around her own, and clung to the sensation, afraid that the fire inside her would ignite again and blot her out. She knew, despite being Darquesse, that her body couldn't take much more of that.

"Skulduggery," she whispered hoarsely, her throat parched and dry.

"Valkyrie!" He sat forwards and she saw his skull beneath the wide rimmed hat, those big hollow eye sockets, the permanent grin, and felt better. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"...Sore. It hurts...so badly," her voice cracked and her face screwed up against the fire.

"I know, I know it hurts," Skulduggery answered. "But it'll be over soon, I promise."

"How long...How long have I been...out of it?" she asked, her eyelids flickering.

"Thirteen and a half hours."

"And you've been...sat there the...the whole time?"

"I have," he inclined his head a little in a nod, and she sensed the distress in his posture and his tone.

"It's...it's ebbing now...the pain, I mean," she said, though she still hurt _so much_. But it _was_ fading, slowly, but still fading.

"That's good; you'll feel the power soon, Valkyrie. Be ready to fight again; you're darker nature won't want to miss this."

"I..._can't_, Skulduggery...No more fighting."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I really am, but you have no choice. You can do it, Valkyrie, and I'll be right here with you, I promise."

"Don't leave me, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good." Valkyrie smiled, and tugged at Skulduggery's hand. He tilted his head, before shifting to sit on the bed beside her. She snuggled closer and he held her tight, never wanting to let her go. She slept.

oO0Oo

Grimm stood in front of Melancholia, Wistful at his side, watching her in her little prison.

"I am sorry I had to leave you, my dear," he said to her, and Melancholia inclined her head.

"You did what you had to; Darquesse and Vile will come here in a week. I've offered her a deal."

"And what deal might that be?" The angel cast such a presence in the Gaol that the prisoners sank back in their cages, cowering away from him. Only Melancholia and Wistful stood tall by his side.

"I told her that we knew the skeleton's secret. The quickest way to her is through him, and vice versa. They're each other's greatest weakness, Grimm. Hurt one, you hurt them both."

"And what of their darker natures?" he asked, wings twitching.

"Darquesse is experiencing the Surge as we speak; I heard her cries when it hit her. When she unlocks her potential, Grimm, she'll be as strong as you are, perhaps stronger, and Darquesse will fight to claim full control of the body. There hasn't been a sorcerer like her since your birth in the time of the Ancients."

"My granddaughter does me proud," he chuckled darkly. "But what about the skeleton? The last time he was near me, I had him begging me to kill him."

"Lord Vile has been unleashed, Grimm. If he fights by Darquesse's side, they will end you together. Unless we have them on_ our _side."

"So this deal; you told them that if they did not come to see you, you would tell the world the secrets of the great Skulduggery Pleasant?"

"I did." Melancholia bowed her head respectfully. Grimm reached a hand through the bars, unmindful of the strong binding spells surrounding them, and lifted her chin slightly.

"You, my dear, are a genius. When are they to come see us?"

"They will find me here after the wedding, the day after Samhain."

"Then we will be waiting. How tragic that their fate is sealed the day their honeymoon is meant to start. They will join us, or they will die."

"Are you sure you can kill her?" Wistful asked, speaking up for the first time. Grimm laughed.

"Of course. All I have to do is kill the skeleton, and her humanity will die with him. She will be all mine, once he is gone. Darquesse will rise, and the world shall fall at her feet."


	15. Gauntlet

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 15...**_

_**Chapter 15 is done, sorry about the wait Skulduggery fans (: Lots of homework and other such larks, how fun :L Anywayyyy...Read on, read on! Same things apply; all characters except the ones mentioned previously belong to Mr Landy (: Thanks for all the reviews and stuff, really appreciate them! Have fun (:**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie struggled. Inside her own mind, she kicked and she screamed and she fought against the raw power that she so badly wanted to let go, that sizzling, burning, searing darkness that filled her body, mind and soul to capacity. She wanted to release it on the world, she wanted to let it claim her and change her so much, to mould her evil and let it flourish until it became all that she was.

But her family and friends and Skulduggery mattered to her, and though it hurt more than anything she'd ever experienced before, she struggled to contain the raw energy hammering the insides of her skull. She fought back, for herself, for her life, for the world, because to give in to that energy would make her no better than the Faceless Ones themselves.

And she managed to beat it back; it still buzzed and rattled inside her, rejuvenating her right to her core, but she found she could keep it locked inside. She could contain it, and though she felt small parts of her disappear as the death magic worked its way through her, she could feel a cool breeze, droplets of water, hear a crumbling rock slide and smell the embers of a dying fire. She could still practice Elemental magic, and it was that part of her that kept her grounded, kept her fighting, and kept her _good_.

Valkyrie Darquesse Cain opened her eyes and smiled. Skulduggery cocked his head, still seated in the chair by her bed, hollow eye sockets searching her face.

"It's over," she whispered.

"About time; two days is more than long enough, even for you." He brushed a finger over her cheek, and she felt his smile, heard it in his voice. "What have you settled on?"

"Come with me," she said, and slid off the gurney, taking his hand.

He followed her obediently, turning down corridors and round corners, through the circular labyrinth of the Roarhaven Sanctuary, until she reached the gymnasium. The damage she'd caused to the punch bag and the walls had been cleared up; the only evidence of Valkyrie's temper was a chain hanging from the ceiling where the bag had been, and a few shallow dents where the plaster had ripped away. A small, charred patch coloured the space above their heads.

"Would you like to tell me why we're here?" Skulduggery asked her.

"Throw something at me."

"Excuse me?"

"Throw something, like a fireball, or push the air at me." The skeleton's head tilted, but he did as she said, snapping his fingers to create friction, curling the spark into a flame in his hand. The ball grew and intensified, and fast as an attacking snake, his arm whipped out and the fire hurtled towards her. Valkyrie waved a hand and the light was snuffed out by shadows. Effortless.

"You settled on Necromancy?" he asked.

"I'm not done yet; push the air at me. Don't go easy on me either." His head tilted doubtfully, but he spun, stamped his foot, and snapped his palm towards her, a solid, rushing wall of air heading straight for her, ready to crush her. Valkyrie pushed her palms flat together, and the air between them pulsed outwards, knocking the wall back the way it came. Skulduggery was flung off his feet, but a shadowy tentacle snaked out and caught him, setting him lightly back on his feet. Valkyrie clicked the fingers on both of her hands, and two separate flames caught in her palms. She let one burn bright, while blackness seeped through the other.

"You can switch between Necromancy and Elemental magic?" Skulduggery asked. "There are only a handful of sorcerers in the world, myself included, that can do that you know."

"I know. Skulduggery, I'm not evil, not completely."

"I can see that."

"No, I mean, wasn't my evil supposed to take over and kill everyone?" Valkyrie rose off the ground a few inches, and crossed her legs in the air.

"That depends on you. Can you control the power inside you? Will you be able to fight the addiction, because that's what so much raw energy becomes, Valkyrie."

"Is there a way to limit this?" Valkyrie asked, not trusting herself to shy away from the glorious energy that fuelled her.

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask Solomon Wreath for the answer to that, sweetheart. I gave up Necromancy and its teachings right after the war."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie waited outside the mausoleum that marked the entrance to the Necromancer Temple, waiting for her old tutor to arrive. He was late, and it was cold. She summoned a flame to keep her hands warm.

Wreath shadow walked, appearing in front of her in a swathe of darkness. Valkyrie was unimpressed, she could shadow walk to the other side of the world quite easily if she wanted to, while he was limited to only a few miles at most.

"Valkyrie Cain, I wasn't expecting to see you back here."

"Wreath," Valkyrie nodded.

"How may I help you?"

"I've experienced the Surge."

"Oh?" Solomon raised an interested eyebrow, his fingers tightening around his cane. "What practice did you settle on?"

"I didn't have to choose. I can practice Elemental magic and Necromancy."

"Well, that _is_ impressive, but why have you come to me?"

"I need a way to limit the energy I control, Solomon. You've heard that I became Darquesse, you know how strong she was. Well now she's a fundamental part of me, a large part of me. I'm too strong to keep the world safe from myself. Skulduggery warned me that power was like a drug. I don't want to be corrupted by the energy I control. Can you help me?"

"Hmm." Solomon cocked his head; Valkyrie had been the most promising student he'd ever had the honour of mentoring, and now she was asking for help. "I believe there is, yes." He glanced at her finger, where the necromancy ring no longer rested. He didn't miss the engagement ring.

"What is it?" Valkyrie asked, eyes widening. Wreath gestured for her to follow him into the Temple, and she did so, hoping that whatever he was offering her would work.

He walked through the corridors in silence, until he came to an iron door with no window and no handle on the outside; Valkyrie had been in the room before, but only once, when she was fifteen. It was Solomon's office. It hadn't changed in five years; there were still no windows, there was no book case, no pictures or ornaments. There was just a big, black, glass desk, imposing and angular in the very centre of the room, with a tall leather chair behind it. Solomon sat himself in the chair, so Valkyrie perched on the edge of the desk lightly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Where's your ring, Valkyrie?" he asked.

"I destroyed it."

"Why?" Wreath's eyebrows rose slowly.

"I didn't need it. I can use necromancy without the need for an object to contain it in. I didn't realise how strong I'd end up becoming, or how hard it'd be to control myself."

"And what about Darquesse? Didn't you think of her, or what her power might do?"

"Darquesse isn't a separate ego anymore; I'm her, but I'm Valkyrie too. When I destroyed the ring I was completely aware of how strong she was, but since then I've hit the Surge."

"You've accessed your raw power?" Wreath was leaning forwards, his interest piquing.

"Yeah."

"What's it like?" he asked. Valkyrie grinned, unable to help herself.

"Incredible. I could change the shape of the planet without even thinking about it." Her smile turned to a frown. "And I could kill everyone on it at the same time, including my family. It's so hard to keep my power to myself, Solomon. If I don't do something, I'll kill my family."

"I see." He sat back in his chair. "Perhaps it's a good thing that you destroyed the ring, Valkyrie."

"It is?"

"It wouldn't have been able to withstand that kind of power, even if you'd kept it. You need something made of stronger stuff." Wreath smiled, a seldom seen expression on his pale, handsome face. "It looks like we need another trip to the Shadow Furnace."

oO0Oo

The Shadow Furnace was an oven, filled with writhing, twisting, burning black flames, where all Necromancers created the objects in which they wanted to place their energy. The room looked like an especially dark medieval blacksmiths, and necromancers in long, hooded robes hammered away at various different objects in front of them. Though the furnace was essentially a fire, the room was cold, colder than any other part of the Temple. Valkyrie was glad of her coat; she pulled it closer around herself, turning up the collar to shield her neck from the goose bumps rippling her flesh.

Wreath moved away to talk to one of the forgers, speaking in a low voice as he explained what he wanted. The forger nodded and moved away to begin creating Valkyrie's new Necromancy Container. She'd been given the option of choosing what form the Container would take when she first took up Death Magic, but this time it was entirely up to Wreath. She trusted him; he knew what she needed and he knew exactly how to get it right, so she left it up to him.

It took a while, much longer than it took to create the ring, so after perhaps an hour of watching, Wreath motioned for her to follow as he returned to his office, once again taking the chair. She didn't mind that he didn't offer her a seat; it wasn't in Necromancer nature to be polite. Instead she had an idea. And tapped into her incredible power. She sat cross legged in mid air, feeling the invisible cushion beneath her, and Wreath raised his eyebrows.

"I thought you settled on Death magic?" he asked.

"I didn't really settle on one or the other; I can use both. You could say I'm magically ambidextrous. I'm still an elemental."

"Well that _is_ impressive." He steepled his fingers. "It's a shame you're not my student anymore; are you sure you won't consider coming back for another try?"

"I don't think I _need_ to; I'm probably stronger than any Necromancy teacher out there," she smiled impishly. "Besides, Skulduggery's all about teaching me how to master the elements. I might be stronger now, but that side of my magic still leaves a lot to be desired."

"Am I right in thinking tutoring you isn't all Skulduggery has been doing?" Solomon smiled wryly.

"Possibly."

"I understand that you're engaged to be married, and that the wedding is scheduled for Samhain?" he asked.

"How the heck did you know?"

"When your former student is friends with the Grand Mage, word travels fast. Half of Ireland's magical community is already set to attend, myself included."

"Erskine Ravel invited you to my wedding?" Valkyrie chuckled. "I though I was going to have to do that myself; he doesn't trust you."

"Whether he trusts me or not, it was Skulduggery's request that I be invited. I was your teacher too, remember."

"Well, I definitely didn't expect that from Skul. He doesn't like you either," Valkyrie grinned. "How does half of Ireland now about my wedding?"

"Because Elder Bespoke and Tanith Low wasted no time in pushing Skulduggery into the plans. I almost feel sorry for the skeleton; from the way the Grand Mage explained it, it sounded like wedding planning was a handful."

"And when do I get to have a say in my own wedding?" she questioned, pretending to be annoyed.

"The idea is that the ceremony is a surprise to you, and as such, the details of what the venue and the attire will look like aren't being revealed to anyone but the Best Man, whoever will be chosen as the Maid of Honour, and Skulduggery."

"Who's the Best Man?"

"You don't know who the Best Man is to your own wedding?"

"Hey, I didn't even know they'd started _planning_ it yet."

"Of course they did, it's less than a week away, Valkyrie. And the obvious choice would be Ghastly Bespoke, Skulduggery's dearest friend."

"I should've seen that one coming from a mile off."

"You probable should have, yes," Wreath chuckled. "Who will be your Maid of Honour."

"Tanith, obviously," Valkyrie snorted. Wreath smiled, and tilted his head like he was listening to something.

"It's ready."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie waited to see what he'd had created for her, and when she saw it, it took her breath away. It was as unique and simple as it was beautiful, and her face split into a surprised smile.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, trailing her finger over the sparkling, chrome silver gauntlet.

"I'm glad you like it. Try it on, you need to invest you power into it as soon as possible," Wreath answered. Valkyrie did as she was told, unclipping the red bracelet from her right wrist and refastening it onto her left, before gently lifting the gauntlet from the work surface and slipping it onto her hand.

It encased her right hand to halfway up her forearm, and seemed to be made of some kind of liquid metal. It was like somebody had pulled a long silver glove onto her hand and snipped the fingers and thumb off to leave the five digits exposed. She bent her wrist, and the metal bent with it; Valkyrie saw no seams or links or breaks in the silver. It just flowed and reshaped to fit her arm. She grinned, thoroughly impressed.

"Are you going to invest your power in the gauntlet or will you just stand there smiling at it?" Wreath asked, raising a sardonic eyebrow. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and concentrated on the darkness inside of her, drawing it outwards with very little effort. It pulsed lucidly through her veins, and she struggled valiantly against the urge to bring about Armageddon, forcing the energy instead into the gauntlet, where it pooled and coalesced inside the metal. Valkyrie's eyes widened as the chrome turned a gorgeous, shiny black, adjusting all on its own. Thin lines of brilliant silver wound through the darkened metal in beautiful, intricate patterns, and then like reaching vines, the silver streaks stretched out of the blackness that stopped on the back of her hand and reached upwards, winding themselves around her fingers and thumb. The same thing was happening at the other end of the fluid glove; the silver worked its way up in snaking roots, twisting round her arm to her elbow.

When the adjustments ceased, Valkyrie was wide eyed. She felt the energy buzzing inside the gauntlet, and while plenty of dangerous power still flowed through her own veins, she could control it. She could keep her murderous, violent urges of mass destruction at bay. She could survive. She breathed a sigh of relief, and Solomon smiled.

"This Container," he said, tapping the metal, drawing from it a delicate 'ping', "cannot be removed. Because it holds so much energy, if you were to remove it, the consequences would be disastrous. The last person who had such power was Lord Vile, and we all saw what happened to his armour. The energy reanimated itself. If you were to leave the gauntlet unattended, it would simply explode, unleashing the energy and killing millions."

"That...That sounds really dangerous."

"It is, which is why the little vines of silver are here. They keep the gauntlet fixed on your hand. The metal is a material we rarely use, because it is so difficult to forge, but needs must. It allows you full movement of your hand and wrist, while retaining its fluidity."

"It's complicated, then?"

"Oh, yes. I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to begin. That Necromancy Container on your wrist is the most powerful, and the most valuable Container ever created. It would be even more sought after than Vile's Armour, and you saw how interested Baron Vengeous was in that."

"So you're saying people would try to take it from me?"

"They could try, but they'd kill you, themselves, and millions of others at the same time." Solomon began leave the forging room. "You'd better get back to your fiancé, Miss Cain; he'll be wondering what I've done with you."

oO0Oo

"Did it work?" Skulduggery asked when Valkyrie wandered in, raising his head from a magazine Tanith had forced him into reading the second they'd arrived at his home. It had pictures of huge cakes and wedding cars. And flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. Valkyrie swallowed nervously, and forced the fluttering in her stomach to quieten down.

"It did." She waved her metal-covered hand at him, and he cocked his head.

"Wow. For a necromancer tool, that is actually quite beautiful," he said quietly, and stood up, leaving the magazine on the chair arm.

"Thanks," she grinned, and stole a quick kiss, except the quick kiss didn't _stay_ quick. It deepened into the kind of kiss that made Valkyrie's head spin. "Damn, you're too good at this," she muttered, getting her breath back.

"You should have learned by now that I'm good at everything," he chuckled.

"Hey Val," Tanith grinned, wandering into the largest living room, a steaming mug in her hand. She slouched onto Skulduggery's sofa, tucking her legs up, and Skulduggery looked at her.

"Make yourself at home, Tanith."

"Already did," she grinned. "There's a mug in the kitchen for you, Val."

"Thanks." Valkyrie went to retrieve the tea, savouring the hot, sweet liquid, and when she returned, Tanith had dragged Skulduggery to the sofa and was talking at hyper speed about cakes. Valkyrie took the opportunity to save Skulduggery by sliding onto his lap and addressing her sister.

"Hey, Tanith, shut up a sec." Tanith shut up. "How'd you like to be Maid of Honour at my wedding?" The blonde woman blinked, and started grinning broadly.

"Finally! I thought you were never going to ask! I was beginning to think that you didn't want me there," she teased.

"Don't be daft. You've already invited the whole of Ireland, from what I've heard. And this way I don't have to do any of the planning, not that you were going to let me plan it anyway."

"Too right, this is going to be a surprise," Tanith grinned.

"Ghastly is making your dress," Skulduggery said. "He'll be keeping the design away from you until the day."

"Well you know what? As long as it's not white and the place isn't full of big red roses, it'll be the best day of my life," Valkyrie grinned.

"You bet it will," Tanith answered, and slapped the magazine back down on Valkyrie's lap, forcing Skulduggery to look at it again.


	16. Wedding Plans

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 16...**_

_**Hey guys, sorry about the wait (again!) Totally snowed under with homework, but I'm all up to date now and it's all good, I'm learning to find a balance, so here's the next chapter (: Thanks for all the reviews and the support and the persistent pestering over updates (MissAriannaDark!) They all really help me (: Some of you might be pleased to know that I'm currently searching for an agent to help me publish my books (: Everything about characters and copyright still applies, and Derek Landy is still a genius (: Enjoy!**_

oO0Oo

Finally,_ finally_, Tanith had gone home. After three hours of endless babble about wedding cakes and the perfect dress, wedding venues, flower arrangements, ring choosing, bridesmaid dresses and other things that Valkyrie didn't even bother to pay attention to, she'd left, and she'd let Valkyrie and Skulduggery return to Gordon's house. Finally she was alone with Skulduggery, just them, the sofa, the big TV and...

"Stephanie!"

_Dad._ Valkyrie panicked; he didn't know about the engagement. Come to think of it, neither did the rest of her extended family. She realised with dismay that her father would want to invite Fergus and Beryl...Well, after he was done using Skulduggery's bones as piano keys. For his part, the skeleton tipped her off his lap, settling into a more publicly appropriate embrace by wrapping one arm around Valkyrie's shoulders and lacing his fingers through hers.

Her family wandered in, her father smiling jovially. Surprisingly, he greeted Skulduggery with a warm handshake and a pat on the shoulder, before taking a seat. Melissa smiled and bent to squeeze his shoulders in a delicate hug, before planting a kiss on her daughter's cheek. Valkyrie looked around for her little sister.

"Where's Alice?" she asked. Melissa turned to the open front door, frowning, but her frown broke into a grin as Al bounded in, carrying a squirming black mass in her arms. She saw Skulduggery and squealed, running forwards and launching herself at him. He braced himself as she impacted with him. Once she landed, caught safely by the skeleton, she put the ball of fluff in Valkyrie's lap. It proceeded to attack her face.

"Well, somebody likes _you_, Steph," her mum chuckled.

"You got a dog?" Valkyrie asked, holding the little black Labrador puppy at arms length. It cocked its head, big brown eyes shining, tongue lolling. "He's so_ cute_! Oh my God! What's he called?" She'd always wanted a dog.

"Toby," Al giggled, kneeling on Skulduggery's lap and peering curiously into his eye socket. "Do you have a brain, Mr Skellington?"

"I don't," he said. "But I have a conscience. I don't need a brain to think."

"So if I lost my brain like you, would I still be able to think?"

"It takes a special kind of magic to keep me thinking, sweetheart," he chuckled. Al beamed at him.

"I like you," she said. "You should marry Stephie, then you could be my big brother!"

"...Yeah, about that," Valkyrie hesitated. Her parents cocked their heads at the same time, turning their gazes on her. She swallowed nervously and hugged Toby for comfort, feeling his wet nose snuffle her cheek happily. "...We kind of _are_ getting married."

Alice clapped her hands in delight. Desmond stared. Melissa stared. They stared some more. Finally, Valkyrie's mum smiled.

"Well, this is all happening incredibly quickly, but if it's what you both want, then congratulations. I'm so happy for you, Steph! For_ both_ of you." Her mum stood and held her arms out for a hug, beaming, and Valkyrie gave the puppy back to Alice, who seized the quivering, yapping dog with a demented grin, giggling wildly.

Val was folded into a soft, rose scented embrace, before her mum noticed the gauntlet on her right hand and seized it.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a container for my magic. Remember how I said I was set to destroy the planet?" Melissa nodded. Desmond just watched quietly. "Well this helps me to control it. I hit the Surge; that's when I unlocked all of my potential, and I couldn't control it. This contains the biggest part of the magic and helps me to direct it."

"It's very pretty."

"I know."

"If you're getting married, how are you going to hide it?" Desmond asked suddenly, looking puzzled. "I'm sure Fergus and Beryl would want to know why you're wearing a metal glove."

"I take it that means you're alright with me getting hitched, dad? You're not going to, y'know, kill Skulduggery or something?"

"No, I'm okay." He gave Valkyrie a strange look. "You've grown up; you're old enough to make your own decisions and mistakes. Like your mum says, if it's what you want, I'm happy for you both." Valkyrie felt a lump form in her throat; she hadn't expected her parents to be so forthcoming about her marriage to a living skeleton. "But really, how are you going to hide it? Does it come off?"

"Actually, dad, the extended family won't be at the wedding. As far as my family is concerned, it's you guys and Gordon invited, nobody else. I don't think the rest of our perfectly normal, slightly irritating family, would take very well to the idea of a living skeleton marrying their relative, do you?" Val asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah. No, you're right."

"We could always have a separate service at a later date," Skulduggery said.

"What for?" Valkyrie asked.

"Aesthetic reasons. Your normal family can come to the other wedding, so they know you're married, and I can wear the facade."

"But it switches faces every time you put it on. Wouldn't they think it was weird, me turning up with a different man every time I saw them?" Valkyrie frowned.

"What's a facade?" Desmond asked.

"It's a false face; I wear it in public so I don't attract any attention," Skulduggery replied, before turning to Valkyrie again. "The answer to that problem is relatively simple; I choose a face."

"But that means you'd have to talk to China."

"Yes, but if it helps our marriage run smoothly, then that's what I'll have to do."

"You'd do that for me? Even after all that's happened with her?"

"Of course." Valkyrie grinned, and Melissa spoke up, sensing Skulduggery's tension.

"Have you set a date?" her mum asked him.

"We have, Mrs Edgley."

"Oh, I think Melissa will do just fine now," she smiled. "When is it?"

"Halloween."

"Next year?"

"This year," Valkyrie answered when Skulduggery said nothing. Melissa's eyebrows shot up.

"So early? That's less than a week away. What about inviting guests? And planning the venue? How are you going to get all that done in under a _week_?"

"Valkyrie has a very keen Maid of Honour. And one of our Elders is the best tailor in Ireland; he'll be making her dress."

"I don't actually know much about my wedding, to be honest, mum," Valkyrie said. "It's a surprise. The only thing I do know is that my dress isn't going to be white." Desmond frowned, but Melissa spoke before he could say anything.

"And you don't mind?"

"Saves me having to do any of the planning," she grinned. "Besides, I trust them. Skulduggery knows what I like, and Ghastly and Tanith have never disappointed me." Valkyrie frowned. "Speaking of friends, is China invited?" she asked her fiancé, who tilted his head mildly.

"Do you want her to be invited?"

"That depends."

"On what, exactly?"

"You. Do you want her there after what she did?"

"Do_ you_ want her there?" Skulduggery asked, tilting his head at Valkyrie. She thought for a second before answering.

"Well she's still my friend, so part of me does. But she did terrible things, and she's beautiful. Not only would it make it increasingly difficult to stop you shooting her at your own wedding, she might upstage me."

"I can assure you that my gun will stay at home."

"Yes, but what about your _other_ gun?" Valkyrie asked, folding her arms. Her parents and Alice listened quietly to the conversation, intrigued by the insight into Valkyrie's other life. Her parents had never seen her act so..._married_ before. Melissa found herself smiling proudly, despite the mention of guns.

"That one will stay home too," Skulduggery answered reluctantly.

"Good," Valkyrie grinned, and went to make coffee. "Skulduggery, we're out of milk!" she called.

"Damn lazy cows," her parents muttered at the same time, and Val started laughing, marvelling at just how spectacularly odd her parents really were. She loved them so much.

"Daddy?" she asked sweetly, feigning innocence.

"What do you want?" Des asked warily from the vast living room. "You only call me 'daddy' when you want something. I'm not getting you more milk. I love you, but not enough to get you milk. I've told you this before." Val rolled her eyes.

"I was just going to ask if you were up for walking me down the isle, but if you don't want to..."

"No! No, no, of course I want to, Steph!" He got up from the sofa and wandered into the kitchen after his daughter, leaving Melissa to chat with Skulduggery, while Alice swung off his skeletal arm, and the puppy licked his face. "My little girl, getting married." He beamed. "And to a skeleton! One that can cook too!"

"You're not mad? Or freaked out?"

"No! How many other dad's can say their daughter married a skeleton? None! I'm proud to be the father of an individual," he said, looking pleased.

"Are you saying you actually _like_ Skul? Despite the lack of skin?"

"Well why wouldn't I? He looks after you, he can cook, Alice and Melissa like him; what's not to like?"

"And there was me thinking that a living skeleton and a magical world within a world would totally freak my parents out," Valkyrie grinned. "Only my family could take all this like it happens everyday."

"I'm just looking forward to seeing you on your wedding day," he said, tears glistening in his eyes. He opened his arms. "Come here, Steph." She was surprised to find her own eyes full of moisture as she folded into his big, warm, comforting embrace. He smelled of toast and his favourite cologne. It was a scent Valkyrie missed.

"I'm going to ask him to move in, dad," she said, realising that she was engaged to a man she wasn't even living with.

"He doesn't live here already?"

"I'd have told you if he was."

"Hmm. You probably would've, yeah. Is this you asking for my blessing, since you didn't get it when you got engaged?"

"Yeah I guess so," Valkyrie shrugged, hiding her guilt. She'd always planned to get her family's blessing before her wedding, before the proposal, even. In fact, she'd never even planned for there to _be_ a wedding; she'd never wanted to get married. Until she met the great Skeleton Detective, and he charmed his way into her heart.

"You do whatever seems right, Steph. You have your own life to lead, like I said before. So you go out there and ask him to move in, or give him a key to the house as a wedding present, whatever. Just make sure you're happy."

"Thanks dad." She hugged him again and her tears spilled over, rolling down her cheeks. She'd cried more in the last few days than she had in her whole life. But these were happy tears. She was getting married, and she was happy. Her family knew everything about her, no more lies, and she loved her fiancé more than she'd ever thought possible.

But there was always that niggling doubt in her mind, the silent knowledge that after the wedding, the calm, happy lull would cease, and the chaotic seas of Notorious Grimm's plans would rear up high over her head, dragging her and her husband-to-be into the midst of disaster.

She shook it off as someone knocked at the door. Skulduggery got up to answer it, and Gordon floated down the stairs. Valkyrie watched; Skulduggery only answered the door if he knew the person knocking was of the magical community, so it was probably Tanith or Ghastly. Valkyrie was surprised to see Solomon Wreath.

oO0Oo

"Cleric Wreath," Skulduggery nodded to the Necromancer. Solomon smiled in response. It made a change from the pair trying to hit each other all the time.

"Solomon, what brings you here?" Valkyrie asked.

"She does," Solomon answered, stepping aside to reveal Tanith.

"But you only left my house five minutes before we came here," Skulduggery said, almost failing to hide the dismay in his voice.

"Yeah, well, I need to talk weddings." Skulduggery visibly sagged, and Tanith spotted Valkyrie's parents. "Oh good, the family's here. I take it you told them?"

"We did, yeah," Valkyrie answered. Solomon and Tanith stepped over the threshold, and Tanith saw the puppy and dropped the thick stack of magazines she'd brought right on Wreath's foot. He winced and extracted himself from beneath the heavy weight, while Tanith scooped up Toby and kissed the soft, fluffy black fur on his head. The puppy yapped happily, squirming with delight at the amount of attention he was receiving, trying his best to lick Tanith's nose.

"Where did you _get_ him?" Tanith asked Valkyrie, her eyes wide with girlish delight.

"Oh, he's not mine."

"No, he's _mine_," Al grinned. "This is Toby."

"Well aren't _you_ a little gem," Tanith grinned, passing the puppy to Alice. "You must be Alice, right?"

"Yep."

"I'm Tanith Low. I get to sort out your sister's wedding."

"Can I be the flower girl?" Alice asked eagerly, her big brown eyes sparkling. Tanith straightened up.

"See? At least _somebody's_ interested in your wedding. I like this kid, Val," the blonde woman beamed, before spotting the other man and woman in the room. "You two must be Val's parents, right?"

"We are. You came to visit us, said you were Valkyrie's school teacher," Desmond said, fighting to keep his eyes off the tight leather outfit Tanith made look so good.

"Yeah, about that; I was sort of possessed by something called a Remnant, so I don't really remember most of what I did for about three years of my life, possibly longer. So, sorry, but I don't remember you, so I'll introduce myself again. I'm Tanith Low, Valkyrie's best friend. I taught her how to fight the bad guys."

"It's nice to meet you, Tanith. I'm Melissa, Stephanie's mum."

"Can I call you Mel?" Tanith asked.

"Of course."

"Good; me, you, and little Alice here have wedding plans to discuss."

"I thought you'd never ask!" Melissa beamed, her cheeks flushing with gentle excitement.

oO0Oo

"It appears that, in all the commotion, the women have entirely forgotten about us," Gordon chuckled, floating around the living room where Skulduggery, Desmond, Solomon, and Valkyrie sat on the sofas.

"Excuse me? I'm still here you know," Valkyrie said.

"Ah yes. Apparently _we'd_ forgotten about_ you_, too," Gordon teased.

"Charming. Even my own uncle forgets I exist," she grumbled, pretending to be upset. Gordon chuckled.

"I half expected you to follow them," her Uncle said, gesturing towards the women and Alice, who'd dragged themselves and the puppy up to the second biggest bedroom. The master bedroom now belonged to Valkyrie, and Skulduggery had stayed there every night since they'd gotten together, which, granted, hadn't been for very long. But Valkyrie knew she what she wanted, and she knew she didn't want anybody else.

"Valkyrie isn't allowed to follow them; she doesn't know anything about the wedding plans," Skulduggery explained, his voice honey-smooth.

"Like I said to mum and dad, the only thing I know about my own wedding is that the dress isn't white."

"You're not wearing a white dress?" Gordon asked. Valkyrie shook her head. "But it's tradition!"

"When did I ever pay attention to tradition, Gordon?"

"Point taken."

"I'm bored," Valkyrie said. "I think you guys should stay here; Skulduggery and I need to go see Erskine."

"Erskine?" Desmond asked.

"Erskine Ravel, our Grand Mage. He's like our boss." Valkyrie swept her dark hair into a ponytail and got to her feet.

"What for?"

"We have a criminal by the name of Melancholia impounded in the Gaol. We need to ask her a few questions regarding a new villain on the scene," Skulduggery said, sticking to the truth closely enough. He knew as well as Valkyrie did that they had no intentions of going anywhere near the Sanctuary.

"Well alright, I guess we'll see you later," her dad said.

"I take it you guys are staying here?"

"Yeah, Gordon and I still have some catching up to do, and I'm sure Solomon can fit himself into the conversation," Desmond beamed, and Wreath returned the smile with a slight nod.

"Alright then, bye guys," Valkyrie said, and tugged Skulduggery out the door before anybody could stop them from leaving.

oO0Oo

Back in the Bentley, Skulduggery and Valkyrie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally, it's quiet," Valkyrie grinned.

"Where are you planning on dragging me? Because you know as well as I do that we have absolutely no plans to go to the Sanctuary."

"I was hoping we could go back to yours; everybody's occupied at Gordon's. Maybe they'll leave us alone for a bit," she shrugged.

"I like the sound of that," Skulduggery answered, clasping her hand on the seat.

oO0Oo

He carried her into the house, kicking the door out of the way, and she pressed her lips to where his should've been, her arms wrapped around his neck. She was excited, so disappointment hit when he dumped her on the sofa and turned away.

"What was that for?" she protested.

"I saw this," the skeleton answered, holding up a wedding magazine. A blushing bride smiled out of the glossy front cover, holding a spray of white flowers in her hands. "If I see one more of these today, I think I may go insane."

"Oh. Well put it somewhere you can't see it and get back here; I was having fun."

Skulduggery chuckled and stuffed the magazine into the first drawer he found, sliding it shut as he turned away, before tugging Valkyrie to her feet. She raised an eyebrow.

"Not on the sofa, Valkyrie."

"Well, come on then," she grinned, tugging at his hand, leading him towards the stairs. He chuckled and followed obediently. Well, he was obedient until they reached the top of the stairs, where he snagged her waist and spun her round, carefully but eagerly kissing her. She clung to him, holding him tight, before taking a step back and bringing him with her, until she was pressed against the wall, trapped between him and the cream wallpaper. She focussed on the lights and ran her fingers over the pulsating surface, and Skulduggery groaned against her lips, his left hand sliding to her hip, the other on her back. Pleased with herself, Valkyrie continued, until Skulduggery broke off the kiss, seeming unsteady. His voice was rough.

"You, are incredible, Valkyrie Cain," he murmured, and she grinned.

"Finally, you admit that I'm awesome."

"Hush," he said, and kissed her again, very gently this time, his thumb caressing her cheek, the other hand pushing the door to his left open. Valkyrie smiled, still kissing him, and took hold of his wrists, towing him into the room, tapping the door shut with her foot as he came through. She shrugged off her protective jacket, dropping it on the ground, silently glad that Ghastly's creations never creased, and moved to loosen his tie, seeing her excited expression reflected on the shiny, liquid, silver-streaked surface of the gauntlet. It was cold on her skin, but she didn't mind, and apparently Skulduggery wasn't bothered by its presence as she unbuttoned his shirt, exposing the ribs, bending her head to kiss his collar bone. He sighed and moved to tug the tunic over her head, pushing her back onto the bed. She still had a hold on his tie, and she pulled him with her, her excitement bubbling deep in her stomach. Oh, she loved him _so much_.


	17. Here Comes The Bride

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 17...**_

_**Chapter 17 is ready! Hopefully you're all still enjoying the story (': Thank you all once again for the reviews and taking the time to read, I really appreciate it (: Everything mentioned in my previous little paragraphs still applies. Love you all!**_

oO0Oo

Valkyrie's nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She was blindfolded, sat on a chair, with no idea where she was. She was literally terrified. It was her wedding day,_ her wedding day_, for Christ's sake! She felt her hands start to shake, and she took a deep breath. She tried reading the air to judge her surroundings, but she was just too _nervous_. She tried counting to ten, she tried counting sheep, hell, she even tried imagining the little tide pools down at Haggard beach, but nothing seemed to work. Her heart continued to race, and she realised with mild surprise, that she was actually on the edge of a panic attack. She wanted to be stood at the altar with Skulduggery, holding his hands, saying her vows.

A door opened, sounding like it was somewhere to her right, but she couldn't be too sure. It was hard to hear _anything_ over the blood drumming in her ears. A quiet chuckle signalled the presence of another person.

"Chill out, Val," Tanith laughed.

"Why do I feel like a hostage?" Valkyrie scowled beneath the soft black material covering her eyes.

"Because we didn't want you to know where you were getting married. But since you're not leaving this room, once Ghastly's finished sorting your dress, you can take the blindfold off. You'll probably guess where it is straight away."

"Can't I just take it off now?"

"Nope. That'd spoil the surprise; I don't want you to see how beautiful you're going to look until you've got the dress on, now stand up, and try not to fall over. I don't want you ruining your hair." Valkyrie sighed and got carefully to her feet, and then Tanith was tugging off her clothes, leaving her standing in her underwear. For all Valkyrie knew, she could be in a room full of spectators. They could all be laughing at her...

The urge to tear off the blindfold became almost unbearable, but she restrained herself. She didn't want to spoil Tanith's fun, and as much as she hated to admit it, the surprise was exciting. Valkyrie's friends knew her too well.

Tanith gently teased something silky and thin over Valkyrie's newly styled hair, pulling it down over her chest and adjusting it over her hips. It must be the under slip to her wedding dress. She gulped, her nerves surfacing again, and Tanith took both her hands.

"Breathe, Val," she said. "Everything's going to be fine. This is going to be the best day of your life. Everything is going to be perfect, I promise."

"I know," Valkyrie smiled. "Who'd have thought it, eh? Me, getting married. To _Skulduggery,_ of all people."

"You two were meant for each other; Fletcher never stood a chance, Val. You and everyone else knew that the second you got with him. It was always going to be Skulduggery. We all saw it, even Ghastly. You're going to be so happy, Val." She heard tears thickening her friend's voice, and held her arms out for a hug. Tanith buried her face in Valkyrie's neck, grinning like a mad woman, before sniffing and carefully wiping her eyes. She pulled something out of her clutch purse and pushed Val back onto the chair, seizing her ankle.

"What're you doing?" the dark haired girl asked, alarmed. Unable to see, it felt like Tanith was going to drag her somewhere on her backside.

"Shut up and hold still," Tanith muttered, slipping the garter into place on Valkyrie's thigh. She grinned.

"What is it?"

"Let's just say Skulduggery will love it. Work it out," Tanith teased, and her friend blushed, her cheeks flushing pink under the scarf.

"A wedding garter? Really, Tanith? Isn't he supposed to take it off me and throw it at his friends?"

"Yes he is." Valkyrie's face paled.

"And will he be doing so?"

"Yes he will."

"Dad's going to be so pissed," she groaned. Tanith snorted.

"Yeah, but it'll be worth it to see the look on Fletcher's face when he sees your lovely legs being caressed by his worst enemy," Tanith teased, and Val clenched her fists, unable to swat at her. If only she could see, she'd kick Tanith's _butt_...

oO0Oo

Ghastly arrived and laughed at the sight of Valkyrie sat rigid in her seat, terrified out of her mind trying to put on a brave face, despite the scarf tied over her eyes, blocking out any light. He carried the dress carefully over his arm; it was undoubtedly his best piece of work. It was elegant and understated, yet extravagant and intricate at the same time. It was designed to elevate her beauty above even that of China Sorrows, and was based on the beautiful black gauntlet, fastened to her right arm with snaking vines of silver. Of course, the garment would fulfil its full potential when it was actually on Valkyrie.

"Is that you, Ghastly?" she asked.

"It is," he replied, nodding his scarred head. Tanith kissed his cheek gently and went to locate Val's mother. "I have brought your dress."

"What's it like?"

"I am not allowed to tell you; you have to see it for yourself."

"Well that's no fun."

"You enjoy it really," he smiled, and took her hand, gently guiding her to her feet. From her relieved sigh, he was apparently being much more helpful than Tanith had been, which didn't surprise him in the slightest. "Apologies," he said. "I assume Tanith took great delight in abusing the fact that you can't see?"

"'Great delight' is an understatement." Ghastly placed Valkyrie's hand on his shoulder, and she took comfort from the contact. She felt strangely disorientated.

"I need you to step into the dress, okay? Try not to fall over." She did as he said, gingerly stepping into the circle of what felt like _silk_. Not what she expected. Despite Ghastly's impeccable taste, she worried that it was some long, summery number. She got a horrible vision of a bright yellow sun dress, the kind Clarabelle might wear in the snow.

As Ghastly laced the back of the dress, and secured the straps on the very ends of her shoulders, the full weight of the garment took Valkyrie by surprise. Okay, it_ definitely_ wasn't silk, but it felt liquid smooth as it slid over her skin. It was thick and heavy, and she felt a full skirt, floor length and gathered in places, like a waterfall. The texture was incredible, and God, she hoped it wasn't_ white_.

Valkyrie felt Ghastly tug at the scarf over her eyes and a moment later she could see. She was in a bedroom decorated in pale blues and startling white, mixed in with deepest black. Her own bedroom in Gordon's..._her_ house. The bedroom she and Skulduggery shared.

"I'm getting married _here_?" she asked. "In my own house?"

"You'll like it when you see it; the downstairs is completely transformed. It doesn't even look like your house anymore." Ghastly gently clasped her shoulders, and spun her to face a full length mirror he'd placed in the room. She saw herself, saw her hair, her eyes, the _dress_, and she gasped.

oO0Oo

Black. Her wedding dress was a black, off-the-shoulders number, and it was _perfect_. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, stunning in its elegance, matching the gorgeous fluid metal on her right arm.

A band of lightly crushed, ruffled lace ran round the top of the corset, resting on the very ends of her shoulders. The corset itself was tight, emphasising her skinny waist, made of plain satin, double-layered for strength, and coloured a black so deep it shimmered. The skirt was also satin, and Valkyrie was right about it being gathered in places; sparkling gems pressed the material into delicate folds, hanging it in such a way that it resembled water trickling gracefully down a rocky mountain face. On the right hip was a delicate black rose, nestled in a bed of lace that matched the ruffles at her shoulders. As a rule, Valkyrie didn't really like flowery clothes, but this rose looked like a real, blooming flower, freshly picked from the delicate bushes lining the back gardens of some celestial, angelic figure's home. The petals were decorated with small, sparkling crystals, almost like raindrops, and it was big, but not too big. All around this rose, liquid silver vines stretched like roots, down the length of the skirt, winding round the gems gathering the material like water, and snaking up the corset. They were made of the metal used in the gauntlet, fluid and glittering. The dress was neither too much, nor too little. It defined her figure, emphasising her height, the shape of her hips, the curve of her waist, flattering her from every angle. The long, sweeping, gossamer skirt was reminiscent of a princess, the belle of some long forgotten ball, and the back slid gracefully over the ground, slightly longer than the front.

Her hair was arranged in a crown on her head, with loose ringlets hanging delicately by her face, the rest of the curls pinned in place by a delicate tiara, based on the vines on her dress and the gauntlet. More small, clear crystals sparkled in the dark locks, catching the light and glittering beautifully.

Her necklace, again, was that of silver vines, winding round her throat, matching the beautiful metal work she was already wearing. The necklace alone probably cost a fortune. Her earrings were little black roses, with a tiny, sparkling diamond set in the centre of each. Her engagement ring glittered on her finger, where soon enough, a wedding band would also appear.

Ghastly handed her something, a thing, delicate, lacy fingerless glove, tied with a ribbon to form a ruffle at the wrist. Valkyrie fastened the glove in place, hiding the red bracelet sustaining Skulduggery beneath it, and her smile nearly split her face in half. She couldn't speak; she could only cry. A single tear slid down her cheek, and Ghastly quickly wiped it away with a delicate flick of his wrist.

"Do you like it?" he asked. And Valkyrie nodded. She kissed his cheek, unable to hug him, for she was afraid of creasing the ebony beauty encasing her in its luxurious folds. The rich material smelled faintly of lavender and jasmine.

"Thank you," she whispered. "This means more than...more than I could ever...ever say, Ghastly." Valkyrie swallowed her tears, took a deep breath and smiled.

"You look beautiful, my dear. Even more so than China on her best days. There is no way she can upstage you, not today. And she's on her best behaviour."

"Can I come in?" a voice asked from the doorway.

"Yes; she's just waiting for make-up. Is China with you?"

"Indeed she is."

"Good, then she can finish Valkyrie off."

Solomon and China came through the door, both looking immaculate, but for once, Valkyrie didn't feel inadequate in the other woman's presence. She felt...equal. Solomon wore a dark grey suit with a black shirt and black shoes, cane in hand, dark grey tie fastened tight. He looked very handsome.

China was wearing one of the bridesmaid dresses, a knee length, black satin dress with a full skirt and no straps. The black rose at the hip, nestled in lace, framed by vines linked in with Valkyrie's dress. Alice, her mother, Tanith and Clarabelle would all be wearing identical dresses, no doubt. China would still look stunning. Her heels were tall and black and strappy, a perfect match for the dress.

"Valkyrie, you look stunning," Solomon smiled, and bowed his head slightly, placing a kiss on the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Solomon. You don't look so bad yourself." Valkyrie shot him a grin, just as China set to work on Valkyrie's make up. She produced a range of tubes and bottles and little compacts from a silver case, and dabbed and brushed at Valkyrie's face for the next half hour.

When she was all painted up and looking pretty, China slipped a pair of absolutely gorgeous heels onto Val's feet, delicately fastening the little silver buckles. She swallowed nervously; walking in heels, so not her thing. China just arched a beautifully shaped eyebrow and guided Valkyrie back towards the mirror to admire the finished effect. For extra emphasis, China remained by her side. She looked positively plain next to the vision in black.

Valkyrie Cain was beautiful, more beautiful than she'd ever seen herself before. She not only matched China, she _overshadowed_ her. Her skin was cream and roses, her eyelashes long and dark, framing her eyes in curling fans. Her lips were painted the same faint, delicate pink as her cheeks, dusty rose and heart-shaped, full and sparkling faintly. Her teeth were pearly white, as always, but somehow her smile looked so much more _enchanting_. Framed by hanging ringlets of thick, shiny, brown-black hair, her face and neck were slender and smooth, lady like, with a regal quality. She really did resemble a princess.

oO0Oo

Melissa wandered in, looking beautiful in a floor length version of the bridesmaid dresses, her hair pinned back with little black rosebuds, bringing Alice in tow. They both stopped and gasped when they saw Valkyrie.

"Oh, my baby!" Melissa said, a hand at her throat, her eyes filling with tears. "You look so beautiful, Steph," she breathed.

"Like a real princess," Alice said, her own chocolate eyes wide with awe. Toby was sat on the floor beside her, his little black tail wagging madly, looking _adorable_ in a silver bow tie.

"Mr Bespoke, you did a wonderful job," Melissa said, fighting her tears. She couldn't smudge the makeup; China had spent a long time sorting out all the bridesmaids, as well as herself, and the Maid of Honour. And the men present at the wedding, too. Including Desmond.

"Thank you," the scarred man bowed his head slightly. Were it not for those great, ridged lines covering entirety of his bald head, he would be incredibly handsome. Then again, most of Valkyrie's male friends seemed to be astoundingly handsome, even the one stood in the corner, dressed in grey, with shadows curling around a black, slender cane in his hand. His eyes were piercing, so bright they seemed to glitter, even from the other side of the vast bedroom.

oO0Oo

Tanith took Valkyrie's hand and guided her to the top of the wide, marble, sweeping staircase, just round the corner and out of sight of the crowds gathered in the massive foyer. She had to walk down those stairs, and into the living room, where row upon row of chairs was sat, and every single one was filled. Those in the foyer would follow behind the last bridesmaid to exit the stairs, lining the edges of the room to watch from the chairs arranged there. And in that room, that wide, chatter-filled room, Skulduggery Pleasant was waiting for his bride. He was waiting for_ her_. Her stomach flipped excitedly.

Somewhere in the living room, a single voice echoed out, singing gently at first, gradually getting a little louder. The sound was haunting, beautiful, and a second later two other voices joined in, two girls, and another boy. Valkyrie recognised those resonating, solemn voices; they were the children of Siren Calling, one of Wistful's victims, and while none of them had the gift of love at first sound, they all had shiver-inducing voices.

The men all left to stand with Skulduggery, all except Valkyrie's father; he puffed out his chest, beaming proudly. He'd actually cried when he first saw his daughter, all dressed up, all _grown_ up, ready to be walked down the aisle. He still had a lump in his throat, but the tears had stopped...well, just about. Tanith low stood behind Valkyrie, in a long dress, identical to Val's mothers', looking beautiful and elegant, a massive contrast to the tight leather. She held a smaller version of Valkyrie's startling black and white, trailing bouquet. In front of them, her mother and Alice walked forwards, Melissa holding Toby's lead, Alice carrying a basket full of petals and little sparkly gems. When the singing changed and a violin was introduced, Melissa led her youngest daughter forwards, followed by Valkyrie and her father, and then Tanith, China, and Erskine's little girl; Aurora.

Valkyrie began to descend the stairs, slowly coming into view of the crowds below. They gasped when they saw her, for once staring at her, and not China. She couldn't hide her blush, so she looked down at the ivory carpet that had been rolled out down the stairs and round into the living room, watching as, somehow, her feet continued to carry her down the stairs without falling over, one arm tucked through her father's elbow, the other hand, the one without the gauntlet, clutching a large, black, white and silver bouquet, that was scented delicately of white jasmine. The scent wafted around Valkyrie, soothing her nerves.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and turned, and the living room came into view. The living room and dining room were open plan, just one absolutely huge, open space. And that open space was filled with people, row upon row upon row of chairs, and smiling faces. And audible gasp fluttered round the room as they saw the bride, but Val didn't notice. Her eyes were glued to a figure, dressed all in black, standing under an archway that had been erected in front of the fireplace. Ghastly placed a hand on the figures shoulder, smiling, and he turned.

Valkyrie's heart skipped a beat; Skulduggery's suit was sharp, all black cloth, with a silver waistcoat, patterned identically to the lace around the top of her dress, a black shirt, and a silver tie. His wide brimmed black hat had a silver band above the rim, again decorated with that pattern. In his breast pocket was a black rose, nestled in black lace, framed with snaking silver vines. The big, empty eye sockets were revealed, no false face, no fake smile, just him and his perfect, grinning skull. He removed his hat slowly, and passed it to his best man, his gaze fixed on his bride. Ghastly, Solomon and Fletcher stood, all wearing grey suits and black shirts, with smaller black roses in the best pockets, to the right hand side, by Skulduggery.

oO0Oo

Stunning. Beautiful. Amazing, incredible, flawless, indescribable. _His_. Valkyrie was walking towards him, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, more beautiful than his first wife, more beautiful than China, Tanith, anyone he'd ever met. She walked gracefully at her father's arm, carrying a delicate bloom of white lilies, jasmine, and black roses in one hand. Curled, purposeful strands of her hair hung down, a tiara that matched her necklace, and her gauntlet, and the roots of the rose at her hip, nestled in the soft, dark curls. Gems gathered the skirt here and there, the light reflecting off the folds like a waterfall. She was everything Skulduggery had ever imagined her to be, and so much more besides.

oO0Oo

"Good luck, Steph. Don't forget your words," he dad winked, whispering quietly. He kissed her cheek, and Tanith collected her bouquet, before they both took their places on opposite sides of the arch. Even Toby behaved, plopping down net to Melissa, panting amicably in his big silver bow. Gordon was the only one not behaving; he pulled a face at Valkyrie, behind Erskine, floating around silently, and she had to bite her lip, choking back a laugh.

The room fell silent when the Grand Mage raised his hands.

"It is my absolute pleasure," he began, "to see so many people here to support the marriage of one of my dearest friends, one Skulduggery Pleasant, to the beautiful miss Valkyrie Cain. I daresay, my dear, that you have even upstaged China Sorrows today," Erskine grinned.

"Won't be happening again," China teased, smiling, and an appreciative titter ran through the rows of people. Every chair was filled, and more people stood round the edges of the room. Even the Cleavers had sheathed their scythes, and had a black rose pinned to their breast pockets. Valkyrie felt her eyes widen.

"Now as much as everybody seems to enjoy staring at our blushing bride here," the Grand Mage continued, and naturally, Valkyrie's cheeks coloured, drawing another laugh from the crowd, "she does in fact intend to marry the lucky gent standing next to me. So I should probably get on with the ceremony. Forgive me, I've never conducted a wedding before, so I'll probably miss some important bits. But Skulduggery organised most of this part so you could always blame any mix ups on him."

"You always did talk too much," a man shouted from the crowd.

"I'll get you for that later, Vex, but right now, it's on to the important stuff. We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain, in matrimony. May they be happy together for the rest of their days." Erskine smiled and signalled for them to turn to each other. Skulduggery took her hand, and his velvet voice sounded, loud and clear, saying the words Valkyrie had never imagined he'd say. He was saying his _vows_. Valkyrie had written her own, but they paled in comparison.

"As I say these vows, I express my desire to share with you the rest of my existence, Valkyrie. I will love you, cherish you, support and protect you, through anything this world has to throw at us. We've had our ups, and we've had our downs. The Faceless Ones claimed me, and still you saved me. The Grotesquery defeated me, and so you took my place. I was stuck in my rage, and so you loved me. My rage is gone, leaving only love, a love I wish to share with you for the rest of my days. And so, if you'll take me, I intend to make you my wife, and to fight for you with all I am worth. Partners until the end."


	18. I Now Pronounce You Skeleton And Wife

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 18...**_

_**Chapter 18! Hope you're all enjoying the wedding so far, I worked really hard on Valkyrie's dress description, I hope it did her justice! Just to let you guys know, I hate Christmas, so if my stories get a bit crap or I don't update as much, I have my reasons and I'm sorry, I'll try to get over it as soon as possible, I promise! Enjoy.**_

oO0Oo

"As I say these vows, I tell you what's in my heart, and my mind," Valkyrie began. "I think of nothing else. I want nobody else. Just you. I'll keep it short and sweet. I love you, and that's all there is to it." She shot him a smile. "Partners until the end."

A round of applause broke out in the audience, and everyone joined in. Valkyrie arched an eyebrow, and Skulduggery tilted his head, amused and ecstatic.

"Alright, quiet down a bit, it's my turn to talk again," Erskine grinned, quelling the noise. "Well that's the vows out of the way. Does anybody have any reason why these two lovely people shouldn't be married? If you do, speak now, or deal with it." He looked around. "No? Nobody? Good; looks like everybody will be leaving here alive tonight then," the Grand Mage beamed, and the audience participated in a low chuckle. Skulduggery sighed, shaking his head, but he was laughing too.

"Get on with it!" the man named Vex yelled again.

"Dexter Vex, I am personally going to kick your butt when I'm done up here."

"Bring it on, Grand Mage," Vex grinned.

"Do you two mind interrupting my wedding? I would like to make this lovely woman my wife as soon as possible. Kindly leave the lover's tiffs until the service is over, please," Skulduggery teased, and Ghastly snorted. Valkyrie spotted Anton Shudder in the audience, next to Vex, and he gave her a respectful nod, smiling with kind eyes.

"Sorry." The Grand Mage frowned. "Where was I? Oh, yes, the rings. Repeat after me, Skulduggery. With this ring I, Skulduggery Pleasant, do take you Valkyrie Cain, as my wife."

"With this ring I, Skulduggery Pleasant, do take you Valkyrie Cain, as my wife," Skulduggery recited, taking the ring Ghastly handed him and slipping it into place on her finger, just above her gorgeous engagement ring. It was a plain, white gold band, nothing flashy or showy, and it was beautiful.

"I will love and protect you always."

"I will love and protect you always." His voice was so soft, so smooth, filled with warmthand _love_.

"Through darkness and difficulty, pain and despair."

"Through darkness and difficulty, pain and despair."

"And I will carry you."

"And I will carry you."

"Through those cherished moments that we will share, together, until the end of our lives."

"Through those cherished moments that we will share, together, until the end of our lives." Skulduggery finished speaking and Valkyrie's heart squeezed. He was doing it; he was actually marrying her. He was proving that he loved her, in front of more than two hundred people. And the ceremony he and the others had organised was incredible, so much more than anything she'd ever dreamed of. It was perfect.

"It's your turn now, Val," Erskine smiled, and Ghastly pressed the other identical ring, secured to a delicate silver chain, into her palm. "You ready?" She nodded. "Repeat after me. With this ring, I, Valkyrie Cain, do take you Skulduggery Pleasant, as my husband." She repeated as she was told to, before fastening the chain gently around his neck, and as she drew her hands away, her fingertip brushed his cheek bone. He sighed gently, _happily_.

"I will love and protect you always, through darkness and difficulty, pain and despair," she continued, remembering the words, and Erskine smiled, leaving her to say them. "And I will carry you through those cherished moments that we will share, together, until the end of our lives."

"Do you, Skulduggery Pleasant, take Valkyrie Cain, to be your lawfully wedded wife, in darkness and in light, through the good times and the bad, for as long as you both shall live?" Erskine asked.

"I do," Skulduggery said, without hesitation, his sockets fixed on the face of his love.

"And do you, Valkyrie Cain, take Skulduggery Pleasant, to be your lawfully wedded husband, in darkness and in light, through the good times and the bad, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she answered immediately, and Skulduggery took hold of her hands, gently, his gloved fingers lacing themselves into her grip.

"Then by the power vested in me, as Grand Mage, and head of the Council of the Elders, I now pronounce you skeleton and wife. Skulduggery, you may now kiss your bride."

Skulduggery pulled her closer, moving his hands to rest lightly on her hips, and Valkyrie wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing her_ husband_ for the first time, and enjoying every second. Oblivious to the applauding masses around them, all standing on their feet and grinning, Valkyrie and Skulduggery just held each other. Happy tears rained on her cheeks, spilling from her chocolate brown eyes.

oO0Oo

The guests filed out of the room, heading towards the vast ballroom at the back of the house, under Erskine's instruction, while the newlyweds waited to sign the marriage certificate, holding hands, Valkyrie grinning so much it made her face ache. And then she frowned.

"Do I sign the certificate as Valkyrie Cain or Valkyrie Pleasant?" she asked her husband. Skulduggery tilted his head.

"The choice is yours, Valkyrie. What do you _want _to be called?"

"Well what do other mages do?"

"Some keep their taken surnames; some change them when they marry. It's all a matter of personal preference. Do you want to change your name or are you still comfortable with being called Cain?"

"Would it bug you if I stole your surname?" Valkyrie asked, and Skulduggery pulled her into a gentle hug.

"I'd like that very much," he murmured into her hair.

oO0Oo

Erskine produced a sheet of expensive-looking, thick paper, with sloping, curling script printed on its surface. Two dotted lines marked where the couple needed to sign. Without hesitation, Skulduggery picked up a pen, wrote his name, and with an elegant flick and equally elegant handwriting, scribbled his signature on the sheet. Valkyrie took the pen from his gloved fingers and wrote her own name; _Valkyrie Pleasant_. She signed the sheet with a smile, and saw Skulduggery visibly relax. The Dead Men, Dexter Vex, Ghastly, Erskine and Anton Shudder; Skul's friends from back in the war, Valkyrie's parents, Tanith, China, Fletcher and Solomon all witnessed for them.

Skulduggery was married. _Married_. To a girl he'd known since she was twelve. A beautiful girl who'd grown into a beautiful woman. Feisty, intelligent, charming, sarcastic, and the exact opposite of Skulduggery's first wife, Valkyrie was his muse. Cheesy, yes, but he didn't mind. In fact, he quite enjoyed the way she was smiling at him. She was so beautiful...

oO0Oo

Valkyrie blushed so deeply that she felt her face was literally glowing with heat, as Skulduggery removed the garter from her thigh, hitching the wedding dress up and deftly slipping it over her ankle, his fingers trailing over her leg, making her skin tingle and her blush deepen. Thank God the room was relatively dark. Skulduggery took great amusement in firing the garter straight at Fletcher's head. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, and opened her mouth to speak, but Skulduggery silence her with a tender kiss. She forgot whatever it was she was about to say.

"Stop kissing and throw the bouquet already!" Tanith insisted. Valkyrie reluctantly broke off and hefted the bouquet in her hand, before turning her back on the crowd. The women in the room, young old, beautiful and not so beautiful, all gathered behind her. Except China. China didn't move with the masses, she just sighed and rolled her eyes. Valkyrie closed her eyes and threw the beautiful flowers, and a gaggle of screams and yelps and giggles arose as the women scrambled to catch them. And as suddenly as it started, the noise cut off. Valkyrie turned.

The bouquet had landed in China's lap where she sat at her table, a look of utter surprise on her face. Solomon was sat beside her, looking just as surprised. He and China shared a look, and then the beautiful, raven haired woman raised one perfect brow at Valkyrie and sighed.

"This," she said, "Is _your_ fault, Mrs Pleasant." And China kissed the necromancer, right there, in front of everyone. Valkyrie watched, opened mouthed, as Solomon froze, his eyebrows raised slightly, almost sardonically, before he kissed her back. When they broke apart, he spoke.

"That was unexpected, Miss Sorrows." His voice was rough, despite his apparent calm.

"Oh, shut up, Solomon. You knew as well as I did that I'd be the one to get the flowers. Even when I don't try to catch them, I always get the damn things," she frowned.

"I was talking about you kissing me. Was I just the nearest person?"

"Something like that," China smiled, and Solomon's lips twitched.

Valkyrie was still staring, her mouth hanging open. Skulduggery gently shut it with one finger, and stood behind her, his arms wrapping round her waist, speaking into her ear.

"As attractive as you are, wife, that look does not suit you."

"I don't care, that was _not_ what I expected."

"What wasn't?"

"China. Kissing Solomon. _Solomon_! He was my old mentor, and he was always...creepy, in a good looking sort of way."

"China has been interested in Solomon Wreath for some time now, Valkyrie," Skulduggery said reluctantly, sill uncomfortable with bringing the woman up in conversation. Still, it was better than him acting like she didn't exist.

"Really?" Her eyebrows shot up towards her beautifully styled hair.

"Yes."

"That's just weird."

"It's about as weird as you marrying a skeleton then, yes?"

"Ah. Point taken."

The music in the ballroom changed and Skulduggery's head tilted. Valkyrie smiled; it was time for the first dance. He'd taught her how to dance before, when she was invited to Sanctuary gatherings and other wedding celebrations. And the Requiem Ball; even though he hadn't danced with her, he'd taught her how to move gracefully for _weeks_ beforehand. 'All ladies must be able to dance,' he'd said.

He held out a gloved hand to her, and the other to Ghastly, who passed him his hat. He put it on his head as Valkyrie let him lead her to the dance floor. He placed a hand on her waist, and held one of her hands in his other, while she placed her free hand on his shoulder, and they danced.

"You remembered," he whispered, and she heard his smile, felt it radiating from him. She focussed and the lights of his soul glimmered brilliantly, bathing her in a rainbow hued light only she could see.

"Of course I did; you told me off enough times for standing on your toes," she teased.

"That I did," he chuckled. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"You don't look so bad yourself."

"Nonsense, all eyes are on you. Tonight, you exceed even China, Valkyrie."

"Ghastly did an amazing job," she agreed.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about the dress, though it is exquisite. I was talking about _you_. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, even more so now that you're my _wife_. You make a wonderful bride." Valkyrie didn't know what to say as they twirled gracefully across the polished parquet floor, circled by guests as they watched. She couldn't speak around the lump in her throat, so she waited until she could breathe again.

"I love you, Skulduggery," she said, looking up into his big, empty eye sockets.

"I love you too, Mrs Pleasant." Valkyrie's stomach flipped; oh, she _liked_ the sound of that. She didn't bother to hide her excited grin, instead she let it stretch her cheeks until they ached. Her grin grew impossibly wider as Ghastly and Tanith, and Valkyrie's parents joined them on the dance floor. Soon it was filled with couples, including China and Solomon. Cleric Wreath could dance extremely well; he led China like it was something he'd been doing for years, and Valkyrie watched as the strong, selfish, independent woman melted. By the end of the dance, she was smiling, surprised and pleased.

She took Valkyrie's arm as the Dead Men descended on Skulduggery.

"You and Solomon certainly seem to be getting on well," Val beamed.

"Quite. It's been a long time since I've had a man sweep me off my feet in such a fashion. And for such a man to be a _necromancer_, well, that was a surprise indeed." China was smiling. A lot.

"You look like a love struck teenager," Valkyrie commented.

"Oh, so I can't look much different to the way you did every day for the last eight years, whenever you were in the same room as Skulduggery, can I?" China retorted.

"Touché...Are you and Solomon an item?"

"No."

"Are you going to be?"

"I don't know."

"Do you _want_ to be?"

"Yes." China sighed and changed the subject. "I know you probably don't want to talk about this, what, with it being your wedding day, but has Skulduggery considered forgiving me yet?"

"He's considered it, yeah...I think he's warming slightly to the idea. Very slowly."

"He is?"

"Well he invited you to the wedding, didn't he?"

"Because you wanted me here, yes."

"Well it's a start, right?" Valkyrie asked. China sighed again.

"I suppose. Why did I do it, Valkyrie? Why did I lie to one of the few men that can actually make me laugh?"

"We all do things we don't like, China. He'll come round, just give him time."

Melissa, Desmond and Alice, carrying Toby, distracted Valkyrie's attention. Her mum smiled and pulled her into a hug. China smiled, and took her leave, sidling back over to Solomon.

"My little baby, married! It was a gorgeous service, Steph. It really was, even if the dress wasn't white," she winked. Gordon floated over to join them.

"I must say, I agree with you on that, Melissa. The black, even though it's not white, is astounding. You look like a lady, Valkyrie," Gordon smiled, the corners of his eyes creasing.

"As opposed to looking like a man the rest of the time?"

"You know what I mean," he tutted. "I'm proud of you, Valkyrie."

"We all are," Desmond joined in. "And it looks like Skulduggery will fit right in with Alice." He ruffled his youngest daughter's hair, and the gesture was answered with a gap-toothed grin.

"Does that mean I'm related to Mr Skellington now?" she asked.

"Yeah, Al, it does," Valkyrie grinned back.

oO0Oo

The night passed in a blur of faces, both familiar and unfamiliar, and Valkyrie mixed and mingled with as many people as she could. She barely saw Skulduggery for the rest of the night, and when she did see him, it was only a few snatched moments in the darkness at the edges of the room. But she enjoyed herself more than she expected to. She wasn't a party kind of girl, but with Tanith to keep her company, and to keep her sane through the endless repeated introductions, the night passed quickly. Valkyrie was grateful for that.

Finally, it was time for her to leave. It was time for her and Skulduggery to go back to his house in the Bentley, just them, husband and wife. Valkyrie hung out the window and waved at them all, at her friends and family, and she was happy. She was happier than she'd ever felt. As Skulduggery pulled the big, sleek car smoothly out of Gordon's estate, she settled more comfortably in her seat and sighed.

"Married," she said. "I'm married. To you."

"Yes, you are," Skulduggery answered, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Who'd have guessed it, eh? Who'd have guessed that when I met you, when I was _twelve_, I'd end up _married_ to you?"

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"What? No, not at all. I'm happy, really happy. But I just can't believe how much my life changed."

"Your life has barely even started yet, Valkyrie."

"Hopefully it won't end for a very long time," she answered, and clasped his hand on the seat. He squeezed her fingers gently and sighed.

"Thank you for marrying me," he murmured.

"Uh...you're welcome."

"I mean it. You've changed me...I can't even be mad at China anymore, not like I want to be."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to shoot her anymore."

"Or throw doors at her?"

"Oh, no, I still want to do that." Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

"But you _are_ considering forgiving her soon enough, right? It's been years, Skulduggery. I know it's not my business, but this whole thing made me realise that people are important. China was a good friend, despite everything Skul. You have to admit, you started trusting her again."

"I did, yes."

"Please try to forgive her," Val whispered.

"...I'll try, okay? That's all I can give you right now."

"Then that's good enough for me."

oO0Oo

Valkyrie rested her head on Skulduggery's chest, stroking his exposed ribs lightly. He still wore his unbuttoned shirt and his trousers, and she was still dressed in the silky black under slip. Skulduggery had retrieved the garter and insisted she put it back on, so she had. Her hair hung loose, the clips, braids and tiara gone, leaving soft, dark waves to tumble over her shoulders. Her dress was draped carefully over a chair, the shoes and single lace glove on the ground near the bed, next to Skulduggery hat, waistcoat, jacket and shoes. They were behaving themselves tonight.

Valkyrie traced the links of the bracelet around her wrist.

"When do you think we'll be able to take these off?" she asked. She felt Skulduggery shrug.

"I'm not sure; Nye will probably tell us the next time we go to the Sanctuary."

"Oh God."

"What?"

"Skulduggery, the next time we're in the Sanctuary, we're meeting Melancholia in the Gaol, where she's going to blackmail us."

"Ah. Oh dear. I'd entirely forgotten about all that."

"So did I. What do you think she'll want?"

"I honestly don't know, Valkyrie, but I think our happy little bubble just might pop."

"Damn. I was just getting used to the peace."

"Me too. Can we not talk about this? We have plenty of time in the morning to discuss bad things."

"True."

Valkyrie allowed the silence to lapse over them both, letting herself drift, basking in the glow of his soul, registering only the feel of his fingers brushing her arm, and the sound of her own heart thudding quietly in her ears. She recalled her wedding, the way Skulduggery had sounded when he said his vows, the way most of the women, and some of the men, in the audience had cried at how fervently he'd spoken them.

'_The Faceless Ones claimed me and still you saved me'._

She remembered the way he'd taken her hands so gently, and slid the ring onto her finger, the way his eyeless gaze had looked nowhere but at her. She remembered the way he'd sounded when he called her his bride.

'_My rage is gone, leaving only a love that I wish to share with you, for the rest of my days.'_

She remembered the way he hadn't hesitated before signing the wedding papers, how he hadn't stuttered over a single word, and how he'd led her round the dance floor like she was his princess, his love, the most important person in his world, his best friend.

'_Partners until the end.'_


	19. Honeymoon's Over

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 19...**_

_**Hey guys, sorry about the wait for this one. Hope you're all enjoying the story so far. It's the only unplanned thing I've ever written, and literally it's all I can think about. Same rules apply regarding copyright and original characters. Updates will have some ragged timing until after Christmas. Enjoy.**_

oO0Oo

_Notorious Grimm trailed one thumb over the delicate, scarred skin of Melancholia's cheek. She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning into his touch, and he pressed his lips to hers through the bars of her wretched cage._

"_It won't be much longer now, Melancholia, my darling. Tomorrow you will be free of this prison, Vile will be ours, and my granddaughter will be fighting with me, or she will be dead. The world will bow to us, the mortal stain will be expunged, and we will be together."_

"_What of Wistful?" Melancholia asked, her eyes flashing red at the mention of the irritating woman._

"_She has led them to us, and served her purpose. She will be dead soon enough, and we will be irritated by her no more." Grimm smiled a beautiful, evil smile, and Melancholia bowed her head. "We need the skeleton. If we awaken Lord Vile, Darquesse will come to us. Don't let me down, little Death Bringer."_

"_Of course, my Lord," Melancholia answered, and kissed his hand with hesitant, trembling lips._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie Pleasant woke up screaming. The remnants of the nightmare, still clinging to the corners of her conscience, terrified her. _Bones, pieces of him everywhere..._

She sat up, shivering at the images of destruction her mind had conjured up, and huddled in a ball, knees hugged close to her chest, shrouded in the silk bedcovers. It was still dark out; the clock on the table by her bed said it was ten minutes past one in the morning. Her husband turned his head, his eyes on the exposed skin of her back, just above the under slip. He let one finger trace her spine carefully, making the soft silk ripple against her skin, and she shivered.

"Valkyrie, what's the matter? Are you alright?" His velvet voice turned her insides to goo, and soothed her fear.

"It was just a nightmare." He sat up, the hand at her back moving so his bony arm was wrapped around the trembling frame of his wife. She sighed and turned her face towards his collar bone. He spoke into her ear, his other hand stroking her glossy brown hair.

"What nightmare ever scares you, wife?" he asked, his voice a low hum. The effect was like a lullaby; Valkyrie felt heavy and sleepy again. To distract herself, she bent her head and parted his shirt to kiss one of his ivory ribs. He sucked in a breath he didn't need, and she grinned against his chest, before raising her head to look into his big, empty eye sockets.

"This one scared me." Another involuntary shudder rolled through her, and his arms tightened round her protectively, pulling her back onto the plush pillows. She nestled into his side, tugging his shirt out of the way to trace patterns on the graceful, curving bones of his ribcage. His soul flared bright, sparkling in a rainbow-hued myriad of multicoloured lights.

"What was your nightmare about?" he asked, fighting to keep his voice even; her probing fingers were distracting him.

"I don't remember," she hedged, unwilling to talk about it, but she hesitated, and he knew she was lying. One gloved hand tilted her chin up a little so he could see her face. She kept her eyes averted, focussing on anything but him.

"What was your nightmare about?" he asked again, gently, but insistent. She sighed, defeated.

"You died. I killed you. I ripped you to pieces."

"Were you Darquesse in your dream?"

"I'm always Darquesse, dreaming or not, Skul. Something got me mad and I flipped. The shadows destroyed you. Literally, I could have picked up the pieces and put you in a matchbox; you were nearly small enough to pass yourself off as a pile of dust."

"Charming." He kissed her gently, his finger tips tracing small, soothing circles between her shoulder blades. He hummed a low lullaby in her ear, holding her close. She forgot about her nightmare, and her eyelids grew heavy, weighing down on her cheeks. She fell asleep again, and this time the nightmares stayed away, kept at bay by the sound of her husbands' honey smooth, husky singing.

oO0Oo

Valkyrie stretched like a happy cat, complete with a yawn, and turned onto her side, to find herself alone in her bed. She frowned; Skulduggery normally stayed until she was awake. She sat up, the covers sliding off her white, silk under slip. The garter was still firmly set high up on her left thigh. She'd enjoyed Skulduggery's company last night, despite the lack of intimacy; just him being there had been enough, especially when her nightmare dug its heels in.

"You're awake," he said, his honey smooth voice floating towards her, through her bleary, sleep-clouded mind. She blinked and focussed on her husband, carrying a tray in front of him, as he wandered gracefully into the bedroom. His shirt was still unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up, and his shoes were on the floor by the bed still. He was whistling.

"Yeah." Valkyrie breathed in hopefully, her stomach growling. "I hope that food is for me."

"Well _I_ can't eat it, now, can I? I have no stomach. Unless there's somebody hiding in the wardrobe, you are the only person here _capable_ of eating." He slid gently onto the mattress beside her, encircling her shoulders with one skeletal arm when the tray rested safely on her knee. Omelettes again; Valkyrie's mouth watered. He passed her a fork and chuckled when she seized it and devoured the steaming, fluffy creation on her plate, not bothering to speak until she was finished. She slid the tray aside and laid back in her bed, smiling.

"I could get used to this," she grinned. Skulduggery tilted his head and settled more comfortably beside her, holding her close.

"Cooking is one of the few things I don't mind doing for other people, believe it or not," he chuckled. His voice made every word sound like music, soft and seductive, the Irish twang a sweet song in her ear. She shivered with desire.

"I'm glad you're Irish," she said suddenly. Skulduggery stayed quiet for a moment.

"Okay," he said slowly. "Why is that relevant to anything?"

"I don't know," his wife shrugged. "I was just listening to you talk. If you had any other accent, it just wouldn't be right."

"Well, most people born and raised in Ireland tend to have an Irish accent, Valkyrie. Unless you know such a person that suddenly began speaking Italian?" he teased. She rolled her eyes.

"You're such a goon."

"But you adore me anyway."

"True," she nodded, and a thought popped into her head. "Skulduggery?"

"Yes?"

"Will you move in with me?"

"Yes."

"Good, you know where the house keys are, right?"

"On the coffee table in the living room, by the TV."

"Which living room?"

"The main living room, Valkyrie. The one we got married in yesterday."_ Married_. Valkyrie Pleasant grinned at the word. Skulduggery was her _husband_.

"Good, I was just testing you."

"You didn't know where they were, did you." He tilted his head doubtfully, and she felt his amused smile radiating from his very aura.

"Not a clue, no," she laughed, and the skeleton shook his head. She stretched again, unwittingly seductive, the under slip sliding higher up her thighs, and Skulduggery stared. He couldn't help himself; his fingers played with the ruffled white lace of the band around the top of her leg. Valkyrie froze, her eyes locked on his empty sockets. She sat up, goose bumps raising on the skin of her toned upper legs where his fingers traced the edges of the garter. He chuckled.

"The effect I have on you astounds me, you know," he said slowly. He sounded _vulnerable._ Valkyrie blinked; apparently, even if for just a few seconds, Skulduggery Pleasant, the infamous Skeleton Detective, had put aside his _enormous_ ego to admit how insecure he really was. He kept his gaze on her legs, unable to look into her eyes. It was hard for him to admit, to his surprise. Not to mention, he was trying his hardest not to leap on her and take her right there. Not that she'd object to that. The scene played out in his head, and he had to mentally tear himself out of his fantasy.

"Why does it astound you?" she was asking, biting her lip. He sucked in a breath, filling non-existent lungs, trying to stay calm, trying to keep track of the conversation. The way her teeth squeezed the plump, pink, kissable skin drove him half crazy.

"Because I'm a skeleton."

"So? Looks aren't everything." She sat up, her face close to his, and kissed him so gently, just once. "I married you, knowing full well that you're a skeleton, and not being the least bit bothered by it, Skulduggery."

"I know," he sighed. "I'll get used to it, I will. But it may take some time." Valkyrie smiled and pulled him closer again, just hugging him tight. He moved her mouth towards him, gently, to kiss her, in an effort to show her just how much she meant to him. The kiss turned hot, and Valkyrie's head started spinning. His hands traced her sides, hers, his ribs, savouring every single part of each other. Valkyrie was surprised to find tears in her eyes. Skulduggery pulled back a little, and she groaned in protest. He laid down and pulled her with him.

"Why are you crying, wife?" he asked, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"Because I don't know how much time we have to share this, Skulduggery. God only knows what Melancholia will want. And if we don't go, she'll expose you to the world. You'll be locked up until your life is over."

"Then we should enjoy this," he purred, silken voice soothing her distress. She brought him to her for another kiss, her tears dried for the moment, and just revelled in the sensations brought about by her lover's gentle, searching, probing touch. Desire flared in her stomach, burning in her eyes and thriving in her heart, turning her pulse to the beat of hummingbird wings. His hand traced the curve of her hips, teasing her, and she squirmed, desperate for him. He didn't keep her waiting for long, and for that, Valkyrie was extremely grateful.

oO0Oo

Their lust for one another satisfied, Valkyrie sighed, her breathing uneven. Skulduggery brushed her soft, dark hair out of her eyes and laid on his side, facing her. She was close to him, so close that he could see the slowing pulse in her throat. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was grinning again. She was obviously pleased with him. He took her hand in his, gently twisting his fingers through hers.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you too."

"We need to-"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare," she warned, cutting him off.

"Get up," he finished anyway.

"I told you not to say it."

"Too late; we need to get this over with, Valkyrie. It might not be so bad."

"You don't sound so convinced."

"That's because I'm not. It's going to be terrible."

"Thanks. Thanks for letting me know your incredibly optimistic thoughts, I feel so much better now, husband."

"You're welcome." He slid out of bed and slipped his clothes back on, fastening his tie and shrugging into his jacket. Valkyrie stayed where she was, reluctant to leave the warmth and safety of her bedroom. She didn't want trade it for the dark world Melancholia no doubt intended to pitch them into. He turned to look at her for a long moment, before reaching his hand out, giving her the option to take it. The gesture alone told her that he was there, always there when she needed him, just like he'd been there every day since she was twelve years old. He wouldn't leave her. Not ever.

Valkyrie sighed, and took his hand, allowing him to coax her out of bed. He passed her the black clothes she always wore, the protective clothing that never got dirty, never creased. Those clothes had saved her life thousands of times. Ghastly Bespoke really was an excellent tailor.

As she was tugging on the boots, Skulduggery wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She sighed and leaned into him, taking comfort from his embrace. Hand in hand, they walked out of the house and to the Bentley. Skulduggery unlocked the doors and Valkyrie slid into the passenger seat, clicking the seatbelt home. The journey passed in nervous silence, the atmosphere thick enough to cut. Too soon, they arrived at Roarhaven Sanctuary.

oO0Oo

"You may take the bracelets off now," Nye said, scratching the festering scab where its nose was supposed to be. "Detective Pleasant's magic is fully restored. He will be able to function normally without the aid of Darquesse." Valkyrie nodded and unclipped the bracelet at the same time as her husband, handing it back to Nye with a clink of metal on metal. Her beautiful gauntlet glinted in the light, permanently fixed on her hand. Its eyes flashed curiously towards the creation, then back to her face, briefly, before resting on Skulduggery. He stood perfectly straight, head tilted, hat perched on his skull, looking utterly charming. Valkyrie's insides melted.

"Well? How do you feel?" Nye asked.

"Perfectly fine," Skulduggery answered smoothly. "Is Melancholia still situated in the Gaol, or has she been transferred?" The skeleton addressed Grand Mage Erskine, who was stood behind them with his arms folded, his daughter happily clinging to his leg.

"She hasn't been transferred yet; the Cleavers are stretched thin trying to find Notorious. We can't spare enough to move her. Why?"

"I want to question her again. She may know where Grimm could have made his base."

"Very well. I'll see you both when you're finished then," he said, oblivious to Valkyrie's suddenly terrified expression. Skulduggery nodded respectfully at his friend and boss, and took Valkyrie's hand, discreetly tugging her out of the Infirmary and towards the long, curving corridor that led to the Gaol. It was a maximum security holding area, so no Cleavers or even Sanctuary Guards were posted at its doors. Valkyrie took a deep breath when he pushed the door open, and followed him in, visions of a bloodied Tanith tumbling out, covered in blood, a whole in her back from the scythe of the White Cleaver, so many years ago.

Dozens of cages hung empty, their occupants murdered in Grimm's attack on the Sanctuary, stark reminders of his strength. He'd killed some of the sickest criminals in the magical world without so much as a second thought. The other cages, the occupied ones, housed criminals that cowered away from those entering the Gaol, huddling in the corners of their prison.

Melancholia stood waiting, her hands clasped in front of her, the hood of her dark robe pulled low over her face. She was the only prisoner that refused to shy away from the Skeleton and his wife, and why should she? Even in her cage, she still had the power to destroy his life. Even without magic, she possessed the knowledge that Skulduggery Pleasant was Lord Vile.

"What do you want?" Skulduggery asked, his arms folded, not bothering to waste time on greetings.

"It's not what I want. It's what Grimm wants. He wants his granddaughter to stand by his side, or to die."

"That's not going to happen," Valkyrie and Skulduggery answered together.

"We shall see," Melancholia smiled. "If I reveal your secret to Elder Bespoke, I'm quite certain you'll be arrested, and placed in this Gaol for the rest of your existence, unable to see your beloved wife ever again. But if you agree to come with me, to stand beside Notorious Grimm as he raises this world from the stain of mortals, you'll be free to love together, rulers by our sides."

"My family are mortals," Valkyrie answered in a stony voice. "I won't let them be killed. Notorious Grimm will die before I let that happen." Skulduggery took her hand, the one with the gauntlet on it, and stood close by her, still wary of Melancholia, despite her being in a cage. Her eyes flashed to the black metal glove, laced with liquid silver vines, and her head tilted.

"That is an incredibly powerful container you have there," she murmured.

"I know," Valkyrie answered.

"Is that all that keeps Darquesse at bay?"

"I am Darquesse. I just have more manners than I used to." Anger lashed inside Valkyrie, a dark anger that hummed and buzzed inside the gauntlet, the immense power building slowly. Skulduggery felt the temperature of the metal drop drastically, and switched his hold on her hand for an arm around her shoulders.

"So why do you wear the gauntlet?"

"Because it stops me killing people like you just by looking at them." Melancholia smiled.

"It's nice to see the skeleton hasn't smothered the fire inside you. I was worried that becoming a housewife might dampen your spirit."

"Never," Valkyrie felt herself grin back, and realised she wasn't quite in control of her emotions. She struggled with herself, dangerously close to killing the woman in the cage. Skulduggery's arm tightened round her ever so slightly, and it helped. The seas of her anger were tamer, less likely to sink the ship. She wasn't going to become a murderer, not then.

A noise behind Valkyrie had her spinning, only to be struck by the blinding, agonizing stream of purple energy that Notorious Grimm shot her way as he stepped out of the shadows. It burned her again, but only half of her. Her nerve endings sizzled away, hair receded into ashy strands, her skin melted and began to bubble, and muscles turned crispy and split, revealing bone. Valkyrie cried out and fell to the ground, already working on healing herself. But the damage was bad. It took only seconds to fix melted flesh, seared bones and fire-scorched muscles, but seconds was all it took for Grimm to strike. He sent a tendril of lashing shadows right at Skulduggery, knocking him off his feet. That same purple energy that had burned Valkyrie bit into him, and the Skeleton Detective screamed in agony. The sound of his cries cut Valkyrie deeper than anything she'd ever experienced before, and she got to her feet, half healed, and directed an impossibly strong wave of energy at Grimm. It hit him and turned sharp, slashing at his skin, opening cuts in his face, shredding his wings, lacerating his chest and the air around him. He was thrown into the wall, and Skulduggery slumped in a heap on the ground.

Grimm picked himself up and spat blood, surprised, and all at once, his wounds healed up. The blood soaked back through his skin, and he was left unharmed.

"There may be hope for you yet, Darquesse," he murmured, something strange in his eyes.

"My hope is in my husband. You harm him, I kill you."

"Oh you do, do you?" The Last of the Ancients raised an eyebrow.

"Don't test me," Valkyrie warned. She had so much strength, she could take him, she could kill him. But not there, not in the Sanctuary, where hundreds of mages were close by, innocent people about to be caught up in a battle they weren't ready for. She couldn't unleash her power in such a small place. Over the pacific ocean, maybe, but in Roarhaven? No. She hoped he didn't call her bluff.

"You're not going to fight me here," he said, reading her mind, and indeed he had picked up on her bluff. "You still care about the people here. Until you get rid of your silly emotional ties, you'll be weak." He stretched out a hand, and shadows wrapped around Skulduggery. Valkyrie caught his outstretched fingers before Notorious could take him, and planted her feet, pushing a block of air at the stream with her other. The Surge had massively increased her Elemental magic, and the block was strong enough to snap the thick darkness. Skulduggery staggered against her, and a loud shriek of metal behind them signalled that Melancholia was free, and preparing to cut off Valkyrie's head. Skulduggery kissed his wife quickly, anticipating what was about to happen, and shot Melancholia.

The girl wasn't expecting it, she buckled and Grimm cursed. He began to change, his bones cracking, shoulders hunching, muscles bunching and stretching and bunching again. In seconds, an eight foot tall, red haired monster with long, pointed ears and sharp teeth stood before them, growling. In a flash, hiss teeth clamped down on Valkyrie's midriff and he bit deep into her flesh. She screamed, almost bitten in half, and Grimm slammed his huge fist down on her head. Blackness ran riot in her mind, and there was nothing she could do about it. The last thing she saw was her husband, dropping his knees in defeat.

Valkyrie slept.


	20. Torture

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 20...**_

_**Okay, this is where the drama starts, sorry about the jagged updates, I'm keeping them coming as much as I can, I swear. Thank you to all my readers, I really appreciate your help guys! I'm not going to keep talking, read on lovely people! Be warned, there is violence in this chapter!**_

oO0Oo

_Skulduggery Pleasant kneels, head bowed, before the armour he shunned so long ago. Simple, black, no shine, reshaping before him like liquid, it reeks of evil energy, and it calls out to his darker nature. It makes him remember, makes him see the murders again._

_Images of Serpine, holding a blade to his wife's throat, her limp body falling, dead, eyes open. His daughter, crying and whimpering as the blade, already stained with her mother's blood, begins to slice into her skin. She too falls, dead. No hope, no love, no family left. Poison burns him, paralysing him, stopping his organs, slowing his heart, killing billions of important cells, clotting his blood in constricted arteries, while Serpine watches with gem-bright eyes, grinning with vicious triumph._

_Skulduggery groans and slumps, his head dipping lower. His suit is tattered, torn, and dusty, and if he had skin and organs still, it would be stained with his blood. Any normal human would be dead from the pain and blood loss. But not him, not the Skeleton Detective. _

_Notorious Grimm smiles and crouches in front of the fallen villain-turned-hero, drinking in the low ebb of pain circling his trembling bones. _

"_I feel like we've been here before, skeleton," Grimm said, his great black wings shifting. Skulduggery could only grunt in response. "If I remember right, the last time we were here, you were almost dead, and more than insane. You had no skin then, either." The kneeling figure couldn't quite muster the energy to answer with even a grunt this time. Grimm chuckled, and put one hand on Skulduggery's bony shoulder, violent energy sizzling through his entire frame. The detective's back arched and he screamed in agony, before falling in a heap, the shoulder of his shredded jacket smoking under the force of such power._

_Melancholia edged forwards, and picked up the armour, touching it only with shadows. The magic inside the object was volatile and unpredictable, likely to harm her if she touched it with her bare skin. Grimm kicked Skulduggery hard in the ribs, lifting him off the ground slightly, throwing him painfully onto his back. Melancholia dropped the breastplate of the armour heavily onto the torso of the skeleton, and he grunted, before shadows wrapped around his bones, anchoring the armour to his body. It shifted and the breastplate stretched and formed a back plate, changing to create the entire old armour that Lord Vile once donned and decimated those on the battlefield with. The skeleton stood._

"_Are you Lord Vile?" Grimm asked. There was silence, a long pause, as the figure in the mask tilted his head to gauge his addresser. Then, a raspy, hoarse voice, one that resonated power._

"_I am." _

"_I am Notorious Grimm, descendant of the Faceless Ones and the Ancients."_

"_And why should I care who you are?" he asked, not offhand, simply an inquiry._

"_Because I plan to release Darquesse. Will you bow, or do I kill you here?" Lord Vile straightened his head and watched Grimm for a long time. And finally, he bowed low, a sign of respect towards the winged figure before him._

"_At your service," was the raspy answer. Grimm smiled, triumphant._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie woke up with a splitting headache, and no feeling below her waist. The memories of being bitten almost in half, feeling long, curving teeth biting into her flesh, scraping along her spine, hit her in the face like a hammer, quickly followed by the memories of Skulduggery's agony as that energy hurt him. That didn't hit like a hammer. That hit like a _train_. Valkyrie whimpered, not because of her injuries, but because of her memories, because of that horrible sound. The sound of her husband being tortured.

Fletcher sat bolt upright, jolted from his sleep, and his fingers tightened round her metal-covered hand.

"Val! You're awake!" he gasped. His hair stuck at odd angles, his usually tame fringe flopping into his eyes, and dark circles rested on his cheekbones. He looked like he hadn't slept in _days_. "I thought you were going to die!"

"Nonsense," Nye said, wandering by, Clarabelle following a few paces behind, a dazed expression on her face. "I am too skilled to let her die." It tapped Valkyrie's knee. "Do you feel that?" She shook her head, so it moved lower, to her shins, her ankles, and then her feet. She shook her head each time it asked. It moved above her knees, tapping her thighs. She felt the tap, a gentle pressure on her skin.

"I felt that," she said. To her surprise, Nye smiled.

"The treatment is working. You will be able to walk in a few hours," it told her.

"I will?"

"You will. You will heal without scars, and without any lasting damage. It is a pity that you fell unconscious before you could heal yourself; you would have been on your feet much faster." Valkyrie nodded in agreement; she didn't quite feel up to healing herself just yet.

"I think you're getting much nicer," Clarabelle said to Nye suddenly. It blinked.

"Nicer?"

"You smiled. Smiling is definitely nice, even when it's somebody as ugly as you," Clarabelle beamed. Nye looked like it was about to answer her with a vile insult and its expression soured from a smile into a grimace, but Clarabelle just laughed and wandered off. Valkyrie watched her go with wide eyes and raised brows, amazed that Nye hadn't killed her right there. It watched her too, bewildered, before returning to the machines surrounding Valkyrie. A drip was inserted in her arm, continually supplying her with fluids and whatever else Nye wanted to pump into her blood. She eyed the thin slice of metal warily. Ugh, _needles_.

"After all the things you've been through, you're afraid of a little needle?" asked a soft, melodic voice. A voice Valkyrie would recognise anywhere, and the last voice she wanted or expected to hear. China Sorrows, the traitor, the woman who had put her husband in mortal danger not once, but _twice_, had entered the Infirmary.

"Get out," Valkyrie spat, and darkness writhed inside her. The temperature of the gauntlet dropped as power built within it, and Fletcher gasped, letting go of her fingers quickly, before the blood in his own hand froze. China faltered, but gathered herself and continued walking towards her. "You betrayed Skulduggery _twice_, China. _Get_. _Out_."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." The energy in the gauntlet peaked, and the warm air around Val's arm turned to vapour as it contacted the sub-zero metal. Fletcher watched with wide eyes.

"You got him and his family killed. That's one. You turned him over to Grimm to be tortured and sent insane for years. That's two. And you were quite happy to lie about it all, to pretend everything was normal." Valkyrie Pleasant's voice was low and steely, laced with ice. The vapour around the gauntlet froze, the sheets becoming rigid with solidified water. She couldn't contain the energy in the gauntlet any longer; it flowed down her arm and through her body, repairing the damage the second it touched scar tissue, eager to be used up. The feeling returned to her legs and she stood, advancing on China, the drip and other wires wrenching from her skin. The tiny lacerations of the needle points closed over immediately.

"Get out, before I kill you, China."

"You wouldn't kill me, Val."

"As Valkyrie, perhaps not, but at the moment, I'm more bad than good. You seem to forget that I'm capable of destroying the planet. _Do not push me_. Get out, before I tear you apart." Shadows curled round one of her fists, flames around the other. Still, China refused to move.

"But Val, I-"

"Don't call me that. It's Valkyrie or Darquesse to you. 'Val' is reserved for friends. Failing that, you call me Mrs Pleasant." She took a step closer to China. "You put my husband in indescribable pain. If you don't leave right now, I will do the same to you."

"Val, please-"

"_Get out you decietful bitch!_" Valkyrie roared, and snapped her palm. China flew backwards, through the Infirmary doors, and into the corridor beyond, the air rippling with the force. Plaster crumbled, and Valkyrie stalked away, not bothering to check if the woman was okay. She hoped China was dead, or at least permanently mangled.

"Val! Wait up," Fletcher called.

"Shut up, Fletcher," she growled, and shadow-walked to Cemetery Road.

oO0Oo

Valkyrie sat in Skulduggery's chair, curled up, pushing her self into the corner of the deep brown leather structure, and she cried. She sobbed broken tears, her eyes stinging with warm, salty water. She missed her husband, worried about him. She was terrified of what Grimm might do to him. She cried until her lungs ached and her throat was raw. And when she was done, Darquesse stood, and she left.

Darquesse went in search of Murder Rose. Murder Rose had ties to Wistful; the strongest tie was that they were both homicidal maniacs with a soft spot for extreme violence. Darquesse had every intention of finding out where Wistful was, whether Rose wanted to tell her or not. If anybody got in her way, well, that was their own fault. And if Murder Rose wanted extreme violence, Darquesse was more than happy to oblige.

She knew where to look. Murder Rose had rented a flat overlooking the River Liffey that ran through Dublin, just behind Temple Bar Square. The Ha' Penny Bridge spanned the Liffey just outside the flat. Valkyrie had been to Temple Bar plenty of times with Skulduggery, mostly to find Finbar Wrong, but not tonight. Tonight she was angry. Tonight she wanted blood. Tonight, Darquesse wanted Murder.

Darquesse walked straight into Gordon's garage, her garage, and pulled back a blue tarpaulin. She could drive, and she had a bike nestled under that big, crackly blue sheet. It was faster than Tanith's, and newer than Tanith's, and the blonde woman was _extremely_ jealous. It was a sport model, a Honda Sport Tourer CBR 600F in slick black with thin, white Celtic designs down the sides, with a PGM-FI electronic fuel injection carburator, a computer-controlled digital transistorised ignition system with electronic advance, a liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve engine, and a 6-speed transmission type. All in all, her bike was _fast_. She donned her helmet and jumped on, the bike spitting up a spray of gravel and dirt as she sped away from her estate.

She took the little humpback bridge so fast that both tires came off the ground, and shot onwards with an appreciative growl from her beloved bike. It had been a while since she'd rode it, and it was eating up the road like a starving panther. Beneath her helmet, Darquesse flashed a wicked smile.

oO0Oo

Murder Rose left her apartment without noticing the sleek black bike at the side of the road. She just carried right on walking, her coat hiding the outfit of belts, holding an assortment of gleaming, dangerous knives, her lips painted a brilliant cherry red. She didn't need to hide herself; nobody attacked her. She was too dangerous. She allowed herself a smirk and continued towards the Ha' Penny Bridge, hunting down her next victim. It was dark, the moon was out, and the street was empty. She allowed her coat to fall open a little as she took a step onto the bridge, glancing at the flowing waters of the Liffey beneath her. She looked up in time to see the sole of a boot rushing towards her head, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Darquesse took Murder's right canine tooth with a single kick to the head, and winded the woman with an elbow to the sternum. Before she could react, shadows wrapped around her and she was pulled beneath the bridge. She was pinned against the underbelly of the structure, her back pressed against the top of the arch, looking down at the rushing water below.

A girl was stood there, on a thin floor of darkness that skimmed the surface of the water. She looked to be perhaps twenty years old. There was an intricate metal gauntlet on one hand, with the shadows binding Murder extending from her fingers, and flames curled around the other. Murder's eyes widened. Darquesse, she was _real_.

oO0Oo

"Where is Wistful?" Darquesse asked, and Murder squinted.

"So you're Darquesse? You look a lot like the Cain girl." The red-lipped woman's irritating self confidence still flowed, even when she was helpless. It wasn't intentional, it was just that she'd never been threatened before. She was supposed to be unbeatable; you couldn't get a reputation like that without a huge ego to accompany it.

"It's Pleasant now, not Cain, and yes I do. I am her. She is me. As is Darquesse. Now tell me, where's Wistful?" The shadows tightened, and Rose felt something tighten in her chest. It took a moment for her to recognise that she was panicking.

"I don't know," she lied, licking her painted lips nervously. Darquesse's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the shadows turned sharp, biting into Murder's skin, cutting through her belted outfit. She squirmed in pain and the slashes deepened. "Stop, please!" she gasped.

"You are going to tell me where Wistful is, or even better, you will tell me where Notorious Grimm hides himself these days," Darquesse growled, her hair blown off her face by a wind Murder Rose couldn't feel.

"Wistful will be wherever he is, I swear!" Rose choked, her voice rising through three octaves as the shadows around her throat constricted, dangerously close to piercing the carotid artery. She didn't want to die, not there.

"I know that." Darquesse flicked her wrist, and Rose was yanked forwards, and then slammed into the bricks on the underbelly of the bridge, bruising her back painfully, more sharp shadows piercing her skin down to the muscles. She cried out in pain. "What I want to know is _where she is._"

"I don't know!"

"If you keep lying to me, I will kill you. And I won't be quick about it. Where is Wistful most likely to be?" Instead of lying, Rose clamped her mouth shut, refusing to answer. Darquesse dragged her under the canal waters and held her there until her lungs were starving. Rose came up spluttering and gasping, utterly terrified, giving a surprised gasp when she continued upwards to slam face first into the bridge. Bleeding, shivering and more scared than she'd ever been in her life, Murder Rose began to cry.

oO0Oo

_Lord Vile stood by Grimm's side in silence, formidable and dangerous to say the least, clad in his black armour. All traces of the skeleton had disappeared, and shadows lashed, thick and healthy, around his entire form. The armour shifted to suit his needs, and at that moment, his need was to kill Wistful. _

_Vile wasn't interested in Grimm's ultimate plot, or his attraction to Melancholia. Vile just wanted Darquesse. Siding with Grimm was the quickest way to reach her. He revelled in his freedom, his power lavishing properly for the first time since Mevolent's War. It felt good to be free._

_To get Darquesse, Lord Vile had to follow orders. Orders were for the weak, but Grimm was strong, a match even for the intense power of the armour. Vile didn't want hassle, he just wanted_ her_. So he did as he was told. He was torturing Wistful._

_Grimm listened to the screams as his new servant tortured his old servant. Vile was magnificent, it had to be said. He took naturally to Necromancy. Torture was second nature to him, and Grimm knew that this figure, this legendary general of Mevolent's could become a formidable foe. It was important to keep the skeleton on side, and to do so, all he had to do was promise Darquesse to him. That wouldn't be difficult; they were meant to meet each other. They were each other's greatest weakness._

"_Why are you doing this to me?" Wistful asked when the torture lulled, her voice shaking, limbs trembling, spitting blood from broken teeth, covered in injuries from head to foot. "I helped you! I woke you up!" She pointed a broken finger at Grimm. His lip curled._

"_I owe you nothing. It was your choice to wake me, girl. What would happen after that was obviously something you were too dim to think of. Did you think you would rule with me?"_

"_That was the idea, yes," Wistful glared at him._

"_Why? You have no special talent, you are no legend. You are nobody. You are a woman with a liking for the flesh of human children. You belong in a mental institute, not on a throne by my side. You are an amateur, and you are annoying." Her lip trembled. "Please, die with dignity, girl. It's all you have left now."_

_Grimm nodded to Vile, who tilted his head and stretched out a hand. Shadows followed, thin at first, caressing Wistful's face, before thickening suddenly and wrenching her body. With one vicious, effortless tug, Lord Vile took her head._

oO0Oo

Murder Rose's right arm was blue, slowly turning black. Darquesse had allowed that freezing energy to build in her gauntlet, and simply wrapped her fingers around Rose's elbow, freezing the blood in her veins instantly. The lack of oxygen was killing the limb. She had maybe two minutes before the damage was irreparable.

"If you don't tell me where they are, I will freeze your other arm, and both of your legs, then I will snap your frozen, frostbitten fingers and toes off one by one, and feed them to you." Darquesse went to reach for the other arm.

Rose whimpered, fear burning in her eyes, and flinched away. Her lipstick was smeared, dark eye makeup streaming down her face. Her hair was wild and tangled, her body mottled with blue bruises, deep slashes and sticky with her own blood. And she was soaking wet. Tonight was _not_ her night.

Darquesse slapped her across the face, leaving a scarlet print on her slashed skin, and Rose finally caved.

"Alright! Alright, I'll tell you," she gasped. "They're in a castle, an old castle up in the hills."

"There's a lot of hills in Ireland," Darquesse warned.

"It's the castle where Vengeous hid the Grotesquery! That's where Grimm hid himself, inside the battlement walls, just like the God's carcass was! He figured that a living God was the only one worthy of his company."

"Why did you not tell me this earlier?" Darquesse asked. "You could've saved yourself a lot of pain."

"Wistful is the closest thing to a sister I have. I don't stab family in the back," she spat.

"But if you didn't stab family in the back, you would be dead before the sun rose."

"Wistful isn't blood. If she was, then I would've died for her." Darquesse tilted her head, and heat flooded into her palm. She gripped Rose's frozen arm and thawed the ice in her veins, manipulating the blood to circulate again, a grim expression on her face. After a moment, Rose flexed her fingers.

"Your arm won't function properly ever again," Darquesse told her. "Some of the nerves have died, along with blood-starved muscle cells. I'm not prepared to fix them for you. And the cuts will scar, all of them, unless you get them sorted immediately." Rose's lower lip trembled.

"You're letting me go?"

"You told me what I needed to know." Darquesse watched Murder for a second, and then stamped on her legs, snapping the woman's shin bones in half. Murder tried to scream, but shadows clogged her throat, choking off the sound, before she was released. "But that? That was for Tanith. Unlike you, I would never stab her in the back. Even if it meant I died. Blood or not, Tanith is like my sister. Every time you see the scars, every time you remember you can't use a knife anymore, every time you limp, I want you to remember this. Karma's a bitch. Especially to you."

Darquesse dropped Rose into the churning waters below, watching as she was carried away by the current, before climbing back onto Ha' Penny Bridge, looking both ways to check nothing had been seen, and heading back towards her bike. It was time to pay her Grandpa a visit.


	21. Splintered

_**Wistful Kisses...Chapter 21...**_

_**Finally decided to come back to my favourite Fanfic, I miss it (': So I decided to write the next chapter, hopefully it'll be done by Christmas and I can start on a little surprise I have in store for the Skulduggery fans out there :P (: R&R is appreciated (:**_

oO0Oo

Darquesse stalked towards the hulking, pitiful remains of the once huge monolith before her. The castle was crumbling and decrepit, much the same as it had been when she'd first visited, years ago. She was unimpressed. The wall that had once housed the decaying corpse of the Grotesquery still lay strewn across the floor, the dim, hidden room beyond empty and stinking of formaldehyde and rotting flesh. Her lip curled and she continued walking, knowing they would be in the deepest part of the castle.

She snapped her fingers together, the friction creating a spark. She curled it into a flame and let it build, pouring energy into the makeshift torch as she descended into the bowels of the ruined fortress. A dark, cold energy lashed over her skin, caressing her cheeks and filling her veins with electricity. It was the energy of death; there had been battles over the centuries on this ground, in which hundreds of soldiers had lost their lives. Darquesse couldn't help the smile that flickered across her lips as her nerves buzzed with her own powerful energy, the gauntlet on her right hand growing colder very quickly. The pain in the air only put her in a better mood. She was out for blood, and for her husband.

oO0Oo

_Vile felt it when she entered the castle. The air dropped a few degrees, and his armour writhed in excitement, moulding closer to his bones. His soul mate had arrived, and she was very, very angry. He was in the mood for a fight, and no doubt she was one hundred percent ready to give him what he wanted. They could have a little fun out here, damage whatever they wanted, throw as much or as little at one another as they wanted to, and then...well, what they could do after that wasn't suitable for discussion in public. And when their need for each other was satisfied, they could snuff out the rest of the world and rule the remains together._

_There were two problems with that; first, Vile could sense that Darquesse wasn't as entirely evil as she used to be. Moulding with Valkyrie had weakened her, and the gauntlet on her hand restrained her powers like nothing he'd ever seen. It was beautiful, and in time she'd manage to use its full potential, but for now, she was weak. _

_The second problem was Grimm. Vile didn't like the creature, nor did he have any intentions of sharing Darquesse with him. His granddaughter or not, she belonged to Lord Vile, not Notorious. And the feared General was prepared to do anything he could to make sure she remained his. But not yet. Not until the time was right._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie gasped when she caught a scent of Lord Vile's magic, wrapped around Skulduggery like a manacle, and she almost dropped to her knees with relief when the knowledge that he was still somewhere inside that armoured horror, alive and well, hit her like a sledgehammer to the stomach. But she recovered quickly and straightened up, all evil again. Darquesse smiled; Vile was eager to play, and she was happy to oblige.

She descended a flight of stone stairs without touching them, the shadows carrying her effortlessly downwards. She met a solid oak door that was a foot thick, and cocked her head to the side. He was behind that door. Vile, Skulduggery, her husband, her weakness, her enemy, her best friend. Her world. And he was waiting for her. Her smiled widened, and the door splintered, the deadly shards exploding into the room, shattering bricks and mortar that had remained unharmed for centuries. She wandered in, ignoring the carnage as a wall of shadows dissipated before her to reveal the unharmed, armour-clad form of Lord Vile. Behind him stood Notorious Grimm and Melancholia.

"You don't seem pleased to see me, Grandad," Darquesse grinned wickedly, rising off the ground to sit cross-legged in the air on a cushion of shadow.

"I'm impressed; it didn't take you long to find us now did it?" The winged man was smiling calmly, not the least bit ruffled, the two beautiful black limbs tucked close to his back.

"I visited an old friend of Wistful's. We had a nice little chat." Darquesse made a show of looking round. "Speaking of the bitch, where is she? I could really use somebody to punch in the face right now."

"She's not here. I let my new lap dog loose on her, and he saw fit to destroy her." Darquesse cocked her head, intrigued.

"You killed her?" She asked, and Vile nodded but said nothing, just stood and watched her. She felt his gaze, sweeping over her body, burning her, leaving her nerves tingling with desire. His head tilted, and his armour grew small spikes as he gauged her reaction. She smiled coyly and forced her gaze back to the Last of the Ancients. "It's lovely to see you making friends, Grandpa, but I'm afraid it's time for me and my husband to leave now. You see, I left his tea in the oven, and if I don't get back it'll burn."

"Such jokes are beneath you, child."

"That's a shame; I thought it was pretty funny." She let the shadows disappear and dropped to the ground, landing lightly on her feet. "But really, we'd better be going."

"Please stay," Grimm smiled, and the doorway behind her closed up, the bricks melting and fusing together in response to the lazy flick of his wrist. "We have so much to catch up on." He walked forwards until he was stood right in front of her. He was taller than her, but Darquesse raised and eyebrow and stood her ground. His wings twitched and stretched out a little, curving and delicate, but housing tremendous power.

"You think that could hold me?" she asked, jerking her thumb towards the bricked-up doorway.

"Not even for a second, but it's a start. You came here for your husband, yes?"

"I did."

"Well, you can have him, on one condition."

"You have a deal for me?"

"I do. You can have your husband back if you take your place by my side, and get rid of the human stain. Kill them, and you and I will rule the magical population together, with our partners by our sides. Kill them all, show me what you can do, and live as a Queen, a ruler among the weak. Take your throne, child, and do what you were born to."

"Tempting as that is, I'm going to have to decline. See, there's three problems with this little deal of yours, Pa. Three really big problems." Valkyrie Pleasant raised one metal-clad finger, completely herself, but with all the energy of her darker nature coiling inside her. "First, that man right there is not my husband. That's Lord Vile." Another finger raised. "Second, my parents and my sister happen to be part of the 'human stain' as you so delicately put it. I don't kill family." The third finger raised and Valkyrie smiled. "And third, and this really is the most important part; I stand under no one. I won't play second fiddle to your fantasies, now give me back my husband and go crawl back into whatever nice little hole in the ground you came out of, before I hurt you."

"Such a shame, you were such a promising girl, Darquesse. I had high hopes for you, but so be it. It is time for you to die, young one."

"You're going to try and kill me?" she asked, shadows curling round her arms.

"Not me, _him_." Grimm inclined his head towards the motionless skeleton in the liquid armour. "Finish her." Vile remained still for only a second, before he moved to destroy her. All the confidence and darkness left Valkyrie, and she stood, just a stupid, stubborn child again, trembling in the face of death. She hadn't expected him to launch himself at her. Some dim part of her had been counting on Skulduggery having some small margin of control. That dim part was about to get her killed.

oO0Oo

_Vile wanted Darquesse. This girl wasn't Darquesse, this was Valkyrie. She meant nothing to him, so he did as he was told. Only when Darquesse was released would he hesitate to destroy her. Until then? No mercy. He would force the enchanting sorceress to the surface, or he would kill the girl that fought to contain her, and trap Darquesse's soul in another vessel until he could revive her. He didn't need the girl._

oO0Oo

Valkyrie knew that she was in trouble. She couldn't bring herself to harm Vile, for fear that she'd hurt Skulduggery. If she was still thinking like the planet-destroying charlatan she was born to be, she could fight without hesitation. She could enjoy it. But Valkyrie couldn't get herself back into that frame of mind. She was stuck with all this power and no inclination to use it. She was weak, and vulnerable, and Lord Vile was ruthless. She was in trouble. Serious trouble.

He slammed into her and a slice of darkness pierced her stomach. She cried out and shoved him off, getting both her boots flat against the chest plate and kicking. He fell back and she rolled, coming up on one knee, moving to give herself some space, her mind working over time. She tried to scare herself into fighting properly, into using the energy she didn't want to release, but just when she needed it, it refused to surface.

Vile came at her again, sending spears of shadows shooting towards her. She barely had time to push her palm out flat, making the air ripple, but she managed it and shards shot upwards, digging into the ceiling above her head. An idea formed and she remembered being twelve again, all those years ago, when Skulduggery had blown the hole in the wall, the first time he'd demonstrated magic for her. She splayed her hand and snapped her palm, before covering her head with the protective coat as blocks of crumbling brick showered down on her shoulders. She ignored the fresh bruises and leapt, kicking at the air to push her up higher. She shot through the hole in the ceiling at an alarming speed and landed in a heap, but was up and sprinting through the ruins immediately.

She felt the air pressure change and threw herself forwards, flat against the ground with a painful gasp as a wave of blackness flew over her head. It withdrew quickly, but a tendril of it wrapped around her ankle and dragged her back. She cursed, and in a flash she was upside down, hanging above the ground, suspended before Lord Vile by her boot. His gaze met hers and a wave of heat sizzled through her, and finally, _finally_, as a sharpened shadow pressed against her throat, her mind turned murderous.

The skin of Darquesse's throat split and red blood sprayed, but knitted up and soaked back into her skin immediately, as a whip of her own shadows slashed at the restraints around her ankle. She would've dropped onto her head any other time, but she was strong now. She was quick. She spun as she fell and shot upwards, the next ceiling above her crumbling as she neared, turning to dust, much like the Sceptre of the Ancients had destroyed the entrance to the caves under Gordon's house. Darquesse smiled; she was much stronger than even she'd imagined.

She burst out of the dust cloud into the cool night air and continued upwards, untouched by cold or fear. She was enjoying herself. Vile pursued her and she waited for him, high above the ground. He slowed to a stop and simply hovered before her.

"Vile."

"...Darquesse," was the hoarse, whispered reply. The mask distorted the silken, honey-smooth voice that Darquesse knew he really possessed. She missed it, but his new voice sent a different kind of thrill through her.

"I wondered when I'd see you again."

"Likewise." He drifted closer, and she let him. He was inches from her. As much as she was in the mood for a fight, she wanted her husband back. She still thought of Darquesse as a separate being, even though they were the same person now, and while Darquesse wanted a fight, Valkyrie wanted Skulduggery. She had to get that armour off him.

She dared to place a hand on the chest plate of the armour. Vile looked down at that hand, wondering why the contact with his power wasn't burning her skin or boiling her blood, and saw that it was her right hand. She wasn't in pain because her skin wasn't touching the armour. Her gauntlet was. He felt the cold even through his protective metal clothing. It wrapped around his ribs and built inside him, until it could build no more. Darquesse pushed slightly, and Lord Vile shot backwards and fell out of the sky.

He continued to fall, and hit the ground at a terrible pace. Valkyrie forced her feelings back, and Darquesse drifted to the ground, her feet gently touching the floor. She bent to unclip the armour, and was thrown back off her feet, but not by Vile. Grimm slammed into her and she felt some of her bones break.

He shot towards the sky, heavy wings beating furiously, carrying her higher and higher. The oxygen got thinner as he broke the cloud bank and continued to rise. He held her tight and she felt her energy sapping away, looping out of her and into him.

"You're a disappointment, Darquesse. Granted, you put my pet out of action for a while, and I'm impressed, but you're weak. You should've killed him. He was going to kill you. He will still try when he wakes up."

"...Stop," she gasped, her vision dimming as her strength left. The only part of her that remained usable and full of power was her right hand. From the elbow down, power was building in her gauntlet, terrible power that hurt her to contain it. Power that would destroy the world in a swathe of darkness and choking shadow if she didn't control it.

To her surprise, Grimm stopped stealing her energy, and instead he dropped her, thousands of feet between her and the ground. She couldn't focus enough to fly, so she fell like a lead weight, her body spinning and twisting as she hit clouds and went straight through, the unforgiving landscape beneath her quickly coming into view. She fought to gain control of herself, fought so fiercely that heat flashed in her chest. Ten feet from the ground, she knew what she had to do. She knew how to control her power enough that she wouldn't hurt anyone, not yet.

A pulse of darkness shot out around the gauntlet, and the force pushed her upwards, away from the bone-shattering impact. She was tired of being pushed around. She was angry, and she was more in the mood for a fight than she had ever been in her life. She twisted gracefully and tucked her body in a somersault, so that when she landed, she would land on her feet. Not that she was going to land.

She straightened out and spread her arms wide, and her feet stopped just short of the ground. Melancholia hissed and shot blackness towards her. Darquesse inclined her head and it went back the way it came, twice as thick and fast as before when it barrelled into Melancholia.

"You won't get rid of me that easily, Grimm," Darquesse said, ignoring Vile as he sat up. She only had eyes for her Grandpa. That was a mistake. He landed with a quiet thud, his wings tucking close by his sides again, and stretched out a hand. Vile rose, only it wasn't Vile. The armour dropped away and Skulduggery was rising, dressed in his tattered suit, rising off the ground.

A resounding snap, followed by a pained gasp, marked the first of many bones to be broken. Valkyrie's eyes widened as a second snap made Skulduggery's gasp turn to a cry.

"Skulduggery!" she called out, but he couldn't answer. His shirt parted and the ribs began to crack, one by one. Long splinter lines appeared, working their way across his skull, his jaw bones, around his eye sockets, and spreading beneath his clothes. Skulduggery continued to scream as Grimm slowly tore him apart. The fingers on his left hand snapped, his right arm, cracked, the splinter lines spread to his teeth, and his pelvis split.

"_STOP!_" Valkyrie shrieked as the cries escalated and her husband's spine was twisted. Grimm smiled and curled his fingers, and Skulduggery's left shinbone broke in three places. He roared in pain and Valkyrie gagged on tears, dropping to her knees and begging. "Stop it! Stop, please! I'll do anything! I swear, just please stop! Don't kill him! Not him, not my husband," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself and rocking, crying and begging.

Finally, Grimm stopped. Skulduggery's head slumped, his ruined skeleton limp, limbs hanging at odd angles. His body dropped and he landed with a sharp hiss of pain. Valkyrie wanted nothing more than to run to him and tell him everything would be okay, that he'd be alright. The truth was she didn't know if he'd be alright. She'd seen Skulduggery survive so much, but this? This was new. Nothing, not a single part of him, had been left unharmed; it was a wonder he hadn't just fallen apart. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, and Valkyrie didn't know what to do.

"I can make that last for days, you know," Grimm said to her, smiling at her mangled husband. "I can make him scream for _years_. I have done before, and I must say, it's surprising to see how much he can take, but if I remember right, this nearly killed him last time. I was so close to finishing him, but China went back on her word and freed him. Bliss drove me back." The faraway look in Grimm's eyes faded and he focussed again. "But Bliss is dead, and now there's no one to stop me from killing the skeleton and forcing you to do as I say."

"Anything. I'll do anything. Just don't kill him. Please don't." Valkyrie closed her eyes, her whole body trembling with fear, pain, and anger. Anger so fierce that it surprised her. A sharp pain in her chest soon shot outwards to her arms, and she remained hunched over, wondering what Grimm was doing to her.

But it wasn't Grimm. He was watching with a look of confusion, as clueless as she was, while the shooting pain turned to ice in her veins, pooling in every muscle inside of her, growing and building, cooling and spreading, numbing her nerve endings, only to light them with a more intense pain than before. A shiver walked the stairs of her spine, and the ice in her body concentrated itself in the centre of her heart. A thousand voices whispered in her ears, and she stood, opening her eyes to see the world in such a strange way.

Everything was smoky and grey-blue, the outlines hazy and indistinct. Grimm was simply a standing swathe of darkness, a winged Faceless One with human eyes. Skulduggery was a pale yellow light, stretched out on the ground, the armour beside him a thick purple mass, seething and reaching for him. Melancholia was simply another shade of grey. Valkyrie looked down at her own hands, and saw the gauntlet was glowing a pale blue. She felt disconnected from the world, trapped in her little grey bubble, and it scared her.

Grimm shot towards her and his hand closed around her metal fingers. He spoke, and his voice was whispery and indistinct, but she could make out the words.

"Now is the time when I unleash your power. Now is the time when you kill the world. Now is the time of Darquesse."

And before she could do anything to stop him, he drew the power from her, the power she'd struggled so much to contain, and unleashed it on the world. The greyness brightened to blinding white and she cried out as it burned her eyes, clamping them shut tight. But she could still see, no matter how tight she closed them. She could see it, the destruction, the devastation.

She heard her parents scream as the skin and muscle sizzled from their bones, even though they were miles and miles away, still in Haggard, and she began to sob again, begging and wailing for the light to stop, for the power to go away, for it all to end. She wanted to go back to being twelve, to the night she was saved. She wanted to make herself listen to Skulduggery, to just stay put instead of being stubborn. She wanted to be a normal young woman with a normal life and a family. She wanted to be bored with her life again, where her biggest worry was when her next paycheque went into her bank account.

Buildings crumbled, forests burned, mountains fell and great chunks of earth tore up from the ground and scattered across the street. People screamed, people died, souls departed and darkness rose, life snuffed out like a candle.

The world fell silent...

oO0 _**The End**_ 0Oo

_**Whew! That was one Hell of a ride! :D I bet you all hate me right now, don't you? Well all is not lost! There is a sequel coming up! I had so much fun writing this and thank you to all the wonderful people who read and reviewed it for me! I love you all, and look out for the next part of this story (': It's called 'From the Ashes We Rise'. Ciao for now!**_


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